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Family and friends brought the show to him
Driven by Compassion
Gallery
Car enthusiast Dennis Hake who suffers from Parkinson's disease got a wish granted when dozens of classic cars paraded past his Howland home today.
HOWLAND
V8’s and dual mufflers abounded. As 50 to 75 cars rumbled down Curtis Avenue on Sunday afternoon, Dennis Hake could not stop crying and smiling as they paraded past him.
Hake, 60, loves to go to car shows, particularly the Classic Car Cruises at the Lordstown DQ, but failing health has grounded him.
He suffers from Parkinson’s disease complicated by strokes that have left him in need of constant care, which has been provided full time by his wife of 40 years, Dolly, for the past eight years.
When they were younger and able, the Hakes tried to do things for other people. They, along with their sons Josh and Waid, both of Howland, took family vacations and went to concerts, family friend April Caruso said.
“They had a lot of fun,” she said.
It was his dying wish that he see another car show, Caruso said.
So his family and friends, aided by area classic-car enthusiasts, many of them members of the Hollywood Knights Youngstown Chapter, created a private show just for Hake.
“We’re here for you, Dennis – all for you,” a passenger in one of the cars yelled to him as he sat in his electric scooter on his lawn at the edge of the street.
As the cars came by, beginning about 4:45 p.m., most greeted him, some by burning rubber and many others by revving their engines to his great delight.
When the parade of cars finished, there were cars everywhere Hake could look – parked in his front yard, along nearby streets and in neighbors’ yards across the street.
A Howland High School graduate, Hake’s favorite cars were a 1971 Chevrolet Caprice and a 1962 Chevrolet Impala that his brother, Kevin, helped him restore. Even his wife, a graduate of Bloomfield High School, got into the act, keeping Hake company while he worked on the cars.
Kevin brought his 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air to the event, and Lisa and John Cartwright of Niles rode in their 2013 Dodge Challenger.
Also among the first to line up at the Niles McKinley High School parking lot were David Pleiss of Niles with his 1940 Buick Special and Brandon Ciriello of Niles with his 2002 Mustang GT.
“We saw on Facebook that Dennis missed the Sept. 30 Dairy Queen Cruise and wanted to bring the show to him,” Lisa Cartwright said.
Caruso, with the help of Mason Carratt and others, put the car show together in just a couple of days.
“I want to thank everybody from the bottom of my heart,” Caruso said.
After the cars had paraded past, Hake’s wife said softly as she hugged him and wiped away his and her tears: “Always remember your dream came true. I love you very much, Honey. These are people who cared enough to make your dream come true.”
Hake could not stop smiling.