Some might say that this post should fall under the “Out of the Slot” heading. While its true today’s post is not about slot cars or die-casts, it is related to some of the more important and more impressive of my accomplishments with my track and controls. As a homage to one of the best friends I ever had, this is no “out of the slot;” this is in memory of one of the people who helped make Drag City Raceway what it is today.
Life is full of many painful but inevitable lessons that we all have to learn, and we learn many of these as we get older. One of the most inevitable – and most painful – is the lesson of loss… specifically the loss of loved ones who are called away before their time.
Of course, it may just be our perception that they were called away before their time. Maybe that’s not for us to say. And yet, as the survivors, it’s up to us to remember them. And today-April 26-marks the 2nd anniversary of the passing of one my best friends, a man I loved like a brother and who was taken from this world-and from my life-way too soon. In the time after his passing, the shock has faded, but I still feel his absence every single day.
Missing a One-of-a-Kind Friend
Dale Pratley was no ordinary friend. He was a classic old-school tinkerer and jack-of-all-trades who could seemingly fix anything, from a car engine to an antique clock. Smart, honest, and generous, he had a fundamental knack for understanding how things worked and a willingness to help anyone. In short, as I wrote back then, he was “the paragon of what we now have too little of,” the kind of genuinely capable and selfless soul that’s all too rare these days. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had such a person in my life.
Keeping His Memory Alive
Even though Dale is gone, his presence is everywhere around me. Every corner of my garage and hobby room holds reminders of our time together. I only have to glance at the custom wiring on my slot car track or the tools he gifted me to feel his influence. And that’s how it should be – when someone makes your life a better place, it’s fitting that they leave much behind. I gradually found my way back to the racing hobby, carrying his memory with me. I even honored him with a memorial race event last summer, a small tribute to celebrate what he meant to my little corner of the world. I know Dale would want me to keep enjoying life and pursuing our shared passions. “Those who have moved on would want us to enjoy the time we have left,” as I reminded myself before – so I’m doing my best to honor him by doing just that. Every lap I run on the track and every project I finish feels like a quiet tribute to my friend. If the years without Dale have taught me anything, it’s that you should never miss an opportunity to tell your friends how much they mean to you.
Dale lived his life helping others and sharing what he loved, and I strive to do the same in his memory. Two years on, that hasn’t changed: he is still deeply loved and greatly missed. So have fun racing while you can, dear readers, and never take the good people in your life for granted.
One thought on “April 26 | Memento Mori”