Monday, January 12, 2015

May We Meet Again, Jon Hines

It's been a few days since the news of the death of one of our club members was made public.  It still  hasn't sunk in for most of us.  Everyone from this area knew Jon Hines. 
Maybe, they knew him as Willow or maybe, they knew him as Shorty, but everyone knew him. He was just that kind of guy.

Saturday evening, around ten o'clock, Shorty was riding his bike in Port Orange, FL. 
When he tried to cross the road he was struck by a vehicle and died at the scene.

This story is tragic for so many reasons.  This wasn't a man who grew up with a silver spoon
in his mouth.  He wasn't blessed with Hollywood good looks or, the IQ of Einstein.  This was
a man who struggled hard since the day he was born with physical limitations and his own bad choices.  But, Jon wasn't bitter and he didn't make excuses.  Instead, he got his shit together and applied to school.  Hence, his presence in Florida.  His dream was to become a motorcycle mechanic.  Jon had only been there for a week or so when he struck.

Two days before his death, him and another club member, Chris Hayward, posted this picture
on our group page.  They talked about starting a Florida Chapter of Saints-2-Sinners.


This is actually a first for me.  Being involved in bikes, I know several people who have been
struck by a vehicle.  Jon is the first one who will not be given the chance to recover from his
injuries.  I was so unprepared for the onslaught of feelings that would come over this.

There are people in our lives that, even though they aren't the center of attention, are always
there in your peripheral vision.  You become so used to them being there that you assume they always will.  Jon was one of those people for me.  I've known him since he was a child.  I've seen him struggle and I've  seen him overcome.  And, I've seen such an outpouring of love for this character that it leaves me heartbroken.  Not for myself, but for all the people who are suffering without him now.  While it's tragic for him to be taken when he was finally where he sought to be; and, it's tragic that he left two children, family and friends behind, the real tragedy, in my opinion, is that he didn't know how many lives he touched.  He didn't realize the impact he made on so many of us.
I wish I could tell him. 

I'm sitting here with Kim and Curtis, right now.  I'm having a drink as I write this.  Here is my
toast, (raise your drink, please) "To the hard life of a good man.  May we meet again, my brother."

2 comments:

  1. Hi my name is Lawrence Hines Jon's brother I thank u for this post and the support from this club that Jon loved R.I.P little brother

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  2. My name is Fred hines Jr I'll miss him so much rip bro ill see you again and we will ride again live to ride and ride to you die 💀 love you bro

    ReplyDelete