Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

My roommate, and teammate Shawn (George Lingwall) is currently in a re-habilitation facility in Arlington, Virginia named INOVA Mount Vernon Hospital. He was transferred there just 3 days after coming out of his coma.

His current condition has greatly improved in the past 2 weeks, but a full recovery is months away. He has short-term memory loss, is very slow to react, has a hard time walking, and mostly has difficulty collecting his thoughts. Sometimes he seems just fine and understands everything you say. Doctors are optimistic for a full recovery, but are not commiting to making the statement that he will fully recover.

He has received several cards in the mail from fellow racers and their families. His girlfriend reads him the cards everytime he gets one, and he is grateful and wants to thank people for their prayers and support. His mother is currently filling out paperwork to receive help from Gordon Lunde’s Wegman Benefit Fund, which is a fund that helps racers with their financial situation. It is a much welcomed opportunity to keep his financial situation intact since he does not have disability.

I know he looks forward to racing again. Just yesterday when I saw him I told him about VIR in 2 weeks, and he said he wanted to race it. He is worried about the points lead he had in CCS and if you ask him what his number is he will tell you number one. He is a true competitor and if anyone can recover from the head injury he sustained it is him.

Sincerely
Carlos Adrian Nunez
CCS #582

To send Lingwall a card or letter, mail it to:

George Shawn Lingwall
21055 Stanford Square Apt. 200
Dulles, VA 20166

Editorial Note: Lingwall, CCS Amateur #412, crashed during the Unlimited Supersport Amateur race in Summit Point’s turn three on Saturday, May 29. He was flown to a local hospital with severe head trauma, bleeding from the head, other concussion symptoms and a neck “irregularity,” according to race officials, who said that Lingwall did not hit any barriers during his fall.