Tony Justice

Truckers have always had a soft spot in their hearts for kids. Especially ones battling diseases and handicaps. As a driver myself, I am pretty sure the soft spot is created largely by the time us drivers miss with our own kids while we are out here on the big road supporting them and keeping this Country rolling. Or, maybe Red Sovine is to blame!!!

Over the last few years, I have been able to get involved with a couple different kids who were having to battle cancer and they were really big fans of the big rigs. I was happy to share their story and their page on my socials and with the help of other truckers sharing it, we quickly built up a huge support group for them. Next thing you know there were hundreds of truckers posting pictures of their trucks on the boys' pages and sending them words of encouragement. A lot of drivers even went a step further and mailed hats and shirts to them and donated to their go-fund-me. I sent CDs and shirts and hats and posters and let me tell you something...there is nothing in this world that compares to the smile it puts on those kids faces in the midst of all that is wrong in their world, and the sense of gratitude is the most addictive drug in the world. Being able to do something like this for kids is by far the coolest thing I have ever done.

Once again an opportunity has risen to put a bright spot in a sick child's dark chapter. Preston Jones is a 6 year old little boy. He was born with Esophageal Atresia. Basically, his esophagus doesn’t connect to his stomach and it can not be repaired. He wears a trach 24/7 and requires constant 02 in order for his body to get enough oxygen. They had to remove his voice-box in order to place the permanent trach so he is also non verbal. In addition, he also has Hypoplastic heart syndrome on the left side of his heart, HLHS. He basically only has half of his heart functions. As if all that isn't enough, Preston recently caught COVID and was admitted to PICU and is fighting to keep on trucking. I met Preston 3 years ago at the Gulfport Truck Show and I became a bigger fan of his than he says he is of mine.

I have shared all this to say, Purgatory and I are going to Biloxi, MS to see Preston and hopefully bring a smile to his face with some new swag, CD’s and poster’s. If he is doing better and up to it, we may even ride him around the block just like in Red Sovine’s song Teddy Bear and you can be a part of making it all happen.

I’m setting up a Operation Teddy Bear where you can become a sponsor of every mile I drive. It is 1,276 miles round trip so, so if you sponsor $0.1 cent per every mile driven, it would be a $12.76 sponsorship. If you sponsor $0.2 cent per mile it would be a $25.52 sponsorship and so on.

I have the best sponsors in the industry that are helping with the cost of the trip so that 100% of the money you sponsor and that is raised for Operation Teddy Bear, will be presented to Prestons Family, for them to use as they see fit. There are a lot of awesome organizations that help with medical treatments, medicines, medical cost and even provide places for the parents to stay while their child is in the hospital but, I dont know of any that put money into that family's hands to lessen the burden and financial stress that comes along with caring for a sick child.....

So will you join me in making Preston's day better by supporting mission #1 of Operation Teddy Bear? I would be honored to have you along for the ride!!!

Stay blessed and speed safely!!! 

TJ