Just three days after his 18th birthday, Jimmy Waters of Clarkesville got in a car accident that would forever change his life.
He was sitting in the back seat of his friend’s truck during that foggy night drive, when they drove off the road struck a tree. Jimmy experienced a severe head injury on the left and right side. He was in a coma for about four months.
“They told me he’d be a vegetable,” his mother June said. “He lost usage of the whole left side of his body. He’s got half eyesight in each eye.”
Jimmy has been in a wheelchair ever since. Of the daily tasks he can’t do, one of them is driving his 1966 Ford pickup truck which he cherished.
But his family friend Donald Allen decided to change that for his 52nd birthday, which he celebrates today. He decided to fix it back up so that he could take him for a ride.
“He’s the happiest go lucky fella to be in his condition, he’s never down,” Donald said.
Jimmy bought the truck from his dad with money he saved from working at the grocery store as early as 12 years old. After getting the truck he decided to build the motor that he actually built in an auto mechanics class at Habersham Central High School.
“He was just proud of it,” June said. “It’s something he achieved himself.”
Following the accident, the pickup sat in the garage for more than 30 years. Donald and Jimmy would always talk about getting it back up and running – this year, it was time to follow through.
But it was going to take some work, including getting the motor unstuck, rebuilding the carburetor, redoing the brakes and more.
The whole repair process took about three weeks. “I just thought it would just tickle him to death,” Donald said.
On Sunday afternoon, friends and family gathered outside in the driveway to see the baby blue truck roll in. Jimmy was ecstatic to see it running again.
“Feels like a winner!” Jimmy said after getting out of the truck. He was already talking about plans of cruising around Cornelia and Gainesville.
June wanted to express her special thanks to Donald Allen and Nancisco Herrara for the repairs and all of those who helped donate the parts to make this possible. Some were friends but others were people she didn’t even know.