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DECEMBER 2024 888-889-8899 DellutriLawGroup.com
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Growing Together With You
Merry Christmas, Dad! RECLAIMING POP’S RACE CAR
The best gifts often take time to create. Not many of them take 50 years. As readers of this newsletter know, my dad was a professional race car driver in New Jersey back in the 1960s, and he was one of the best in the country. But his race car disappeared in the early ’70s, and I never knew where it went — until earlier this year, when I received a call out of nowhere from a guy claiming he had bought it! My first thought was that the guy was bonkers, but as it turned out, he was a drag racing enthusiast in Maryland who actually had found my dad’s 1966 Chevelle at a swap meet. As it turns out, the car had been sitting in a barn in Delaware for 50 years!
As I wrote in earlier chapters of this saga, my dad has been through some tough times health-wise. He had cancer. He’s a survivor, and my brother, sister and I wanted to give him the gift of remembering how great a driver he was. For his 83rd birthday, we all flew him up to see his car, without telling him the real reason, and Dad was blown away. I have never seen him look so stunned. Hearing him remember his racing victories was worth all the effort. Pop told stories about racing in Florida and New York. And after 54 years, we finally learned why he sold the car. He had been winning with times of 9.8 or 9.9 seconds in the quarter mile. He had done everything he could think of to shave tenths of a second off his best times. His main competition was a guy from California. This guy showed up and ran a 9.4, and my dad was stunned. Dad concluded that was a sign he should quit racing and sell his car. As we talked that night after showing him his car, it was clear that all the reasons he sold it had faded. In their place, we have a rich new set of family stories. My brother, sister, and I thought about trying to buy back Pop’s 1966 Chevelle, but after we returned from that trip, I could think of 1,000 reasons not to do that. It wouldn’t be practical, I told my siblings. After seeing it, we knew it was not a car that could be driven on the street. It would not be safe. It’s a race car! Then, I decided to ask my dad. “Pop,” I said, “if we had the chance to buy the car, would that
be something you would be interested in?” “Yes,” he said, “I would.” That was a turning point. I could see that owning the car again would bring a lot of joy to his life. Of course, after telling my brother and sister all the reasons buying the car was a bad idea, I then had to convince them it was a good idea. I had to use all my lawyer skills to switch from one side of the argument to the other. Fortunately, it worked. Bob was happy to sell the car, but this brought new challenges. I faced the next hurdle. I had to find an auto transport service to bring the car from Maryland to my dad’s house in northern Florida. This was harder than I thought it would be. This was the time of year when all the snowbirds relocate to Florida, and they line up all the available auto transporters two years in advance. Nearly all of them were booked. Luckily, a friend of mine knew a friend of a friend who told me he could transport the car in two weeks. I asked for a photo of his trailer. (Dad’s car is fiberglass, so you can’t just throw it on any trailer.) He sent me a picture, and his trailer was perfect.
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FEEL THE HEAT
CONVERSATION STARTERS FOR CHRISTMAS
I started a custom a few years ago at our family Christmas gatherings. Once the presents are all opened and everybody is sitting down for a breakfast omelet, I deliberately get people talking by baiting them with a big word or provocative topic or challenge.
Southtown. This places the reindeer’s fate in the hands of the Heat Miser, who is responsible for keeping Southtown warm and snow-free. Heat Miser refuses to let his more popular brother, Snow Miser, start a snowstorm. The plot comes to a satisfying ending as Vixen is released from the pound, Santa cheers up, and the Miser brothers are forced by their mom, Mother Nature, to make up.
This year, I have already chosen a Christmas morning question: If you
What’s so special about this loopy 50-year-old movie? And why choose the Heat Miser as my alter ego? It’s special because I loved it so much as a kid. I pored through the TV Guide every year to see when it would air. The networks back then ran your favorite holiday shows once, and if you missed it — well, you were SOL. And why the Heat Miser? He was just a cool character — so to speak — with a knack for stirring things up!
could step into the story of any Christmas movie or book, which one would you choose? What character would you be? And why?
I can tell you right now what I’m going to choose. I want to step into the great 1974 stop-motion animated Christmas TV special, “The Year Without a Santa Claus.” And I would be one of the few bad guys in the show — the Heat Miser! The plot goes like this: Santa gets a cold and becomes depressed over a global lack of Christmas spirit, so he decides to sit it out this year. In hopes of cheering him up, Mrs. Santa sends two of his elves and Vixen the reindeer to Southtown, USA, to find evidence of some Christmas spirit. Sadly, Vixen is captured by a dogcatcher and sent to the pound instead.
If this conversation starter doesn’t kick off some lively reminiscing at your house, I will be surprised. You may even find yourselves having some discussions like those we had in Christmases past — when life was normal and people actually engaged in conversation, rather than staring nonstop into their screens.
After several plot twists and turns, Vixen’s release seems to hinge upon the elves’ ability to produce a Christmas snowfall in
Happy reminiscing to you all!
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The final step was figuring out how to present the car to Dad. On the weekend it arrives, my wife, daughter, and I will be visiting our son Nick at the United States Naval Academy. Since we won’t be able to be there, I’ll just have to tell Dad, “Pop, get ready. On Friday, they’re going to bring the car!” So, as the year draws to a close, my siblings and I are writing the latest chapters of the ongoing saga of Joe Dellutri’s 1966 Chevelle. Or, is it the first one in a new story? Either way, Pop gets to write the next ones. Merry Christmas, Dad! From Ronnie, Joey, and Carmen! ... continued from Cover –Carmen Dellutri
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Safe driving is important all year long, but especially during this season of travel and celebration. Watch out for drunk and distracted drivers, stay alert for bikers and pedestrians, and remember to share the road responsibly to keep everyone safe. If you’re heading to a party, plan ahead by designating a driver or arranging a ride share to avoid the risks of driving under the influence. And from all of us at The Dellutri Law Group, Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!
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Inside This Issue
1 DLG’s Best Story Ever — Part 3 2 A Fail-Safe Conversation Starter for Christmas Dinner
Our Clients Say It Best
3 Follow Us on Social Media!
A Message for the Holidays
4 The Inspiring Story of a Champion
Supporting Excellence at Every Step
As proud graduates of Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU, MBA ’99), my wife and I have always felt a strong connection to our alma mater. This weekend, we had the honor of celebrating another addition to our FGCU alumni circle — my niece, Skylar English, who has proven herself to be a true star both on and off the volleyball court.
Recently, Skylar played a pivotal role in FGCU’s victory in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament Championship. She not only helped the team secure its fourth-straight ASUN title and fifth overall but also earned the ASUN Tournament MVP title. Matching her career-high with six aces, Skylar and her team led FGCU to a resounding 3-0 victory over Lipscomb University in front of an electrified crowd at Alico Arena. Watching her and her teammates make history was a proud moment for our entire family, and it reminded me why FGCU holds such a special place in our hearts. Sitting in the stands, I found myself next to a little girl named Ivy. When I asked who her favorite player was, Ivy told me it was Skylar English. Ivy showed me her phone screen, which proudly displayed a picture of her and Skylar together. Her admiration for Skylar’s achievements reminded me of how important it is to have someone to look up
to, someone who inspires confidence and hope and is ready, willing, and able to assist you on your path. At our law firm, we aim to be the “Skylar” for every client we serve. We want to be the advisors and counselors who stand by our client’s side, cheering them on and guiding them toward the best possible outcome after an auto accident or financial problem. We want to help our clients achieve their dreams. Whether it’s fighting for your rights, providing steadfast support, or celebrating your victories, we’re committed to being the team you can count on, just like Skylar was for Ivy. Congratulations to Skylar, the FGCU women’s varsity volleyball team, and all the Eagles out there making a difference. Here’s to being champions — on the court, in the courtroom, and in life!
Go Eagles!
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