[cjwalas]

Everyone;
Master modeler, MLSer and partner with Bob Baxter in the Door Hollow Short Line was diagnosed with Melanoma in February of this year and has been battling with it on and off since then. Don has a difficult road ahead for the next three months or more while he undergoes surgery and various treatments. He's a great guy and has been a real inspiration to a lot of us here. Please join me in sending him some good vibes so he can get past this as easily and quickly as possible.

Thank you,
Chris

PS. If any of you are unfamiliar with Don's work, you can check out his website here;
http://home.earthlink.net/~ggage/index.html

 

[toddalin]

Really sorry to hear. Don is a great guy. Our hearts go out to him and his loved ones.

 

[Richard Smith]

My best wishes to Don for a full and speedy recovery. Don stopped by a couple of years ago and brought a few of his fine models with him. He is indeed a superlative modeler.

Get well Don, our prayers are with you.

 

[John Corradini]

Our best wishes to Don for a full and speedy recovery
WE will keep you in our prayers and thoughts.

 

[Gary Armitstead]

Our prayers are with you for a speedy recovery Don.

 

[Dean Whipple]

Chris thanks for the heads up...we'll be sure to keep him in our prayers......

 

[altterrain]

I'm sorry to hear that. Melanoma is a terrible cancer (wear your sunscreen!). I stumbled across the Humbug & Honeydew website a few months ago and emailed Don about some of his Gn15 models. He was nice enough to take time out to answer my questions. I wish him well in his fight.

-Brian

 

[Rod Fearnley]

Speedy recovery Don. Our thoughts are with you.
Rod and Jill

 

[vsmith]

Hopes and prayers are with you Don, hang in there.

 

[R.W. Marty]

Don,
We are very sorry to hear of your illness and wish you a speedy recovery.
Get well soon so you can enjoy those wonderful "critters" you build.

Your in our prayers.
Rick & Patty

 

[Stan Cedarleaf]

Thanks for the reminder, Chris.... Yes, we'll sure have in our prayers....

 

[Mike Reilley]

I helped Bob and Sandy Baxter set up the Door Hollow Short Line at the Del Mar Train Show last week...and it was different this time. It was different because Don wasn't there. Nor were his engines...or his cranes...or his famous critters. For the very first time in the last few years, Bob, Sandy, and I had to figure out how to put up Don's mountain and the upper track that runs around it and over the trestle. We'd never done that end of the layout before. It had always been Don's job as it was his creation. We had to fill in the areas that he usually covered with his models. Like I said, it was different...and I thought of times past with Don there...as Bob had shared the news of Don's illness with me when I got there.

We missed him...and the joking and teasing that always goes on as we assemble the layout.

Don...get better. If ya can't get out due to the meds, see if you can model. You're an inspiration to many of us.

 

[aceinspp]

Yes sending prayers that you will recover soon and return to the hobby. Later RJD

 

[Steve Stockham]

Absolutely! Don will be in our thoughts and prayers.

 

[Ray Dunakin]

Prayers and best wishes for a speedy recovery!

 

[joe rusz]

Chris, thanks for the heads up on Don. I met himlast year at Anaheim,where I helped Him and Bob set up Door Hollow. He is a super guy and a superb modeler. I wish him well and will say a prayer for him. We need him to be hale and hearty.

joer

 

[tmejia]

We will keep you in our prayers Don.

Tommy, Jacque and Grace
Rio Gracie

 

[Bob Baxter]

Don's problem developed February, 2008. He went through the heavy chemotherapy for a couple of months and then went on light chemo. He wasn't quite through that phase when a lump appeared on his back that turned out to be an infected lymph node. He is now under the care of a Dr. O'Day who is a highly regarded specialist in the field. Don will be undergoing biochemotherapy, a more powerful and intrusive procedure that will take several months to battle this evil.

I met Don many years ago when he joined the Del Oro modular group. The subtly weathered equipment he showed up with knocked my socks off. I was just learning weathering at that time and he inspired me to a much higher level. He is still the master of naturally subtle weathering. When we started the Door Hollow Shortline the mountains, trestles, and devices that he incorporated into "Don's" end of the layout made our dream complete.

The DHS will carry on at the shows (with the help of friends like Dave Crocker, Mike Reilley, and others) until Don beats this monster and is back with us.

Don's website can be visited by clicking on his name on the first page of the Door Hollow Shortline website which is in my signature below.

 

[Ms. pcentral]

Hey Don

!!!!!


I know it has been so long that I'm embarrassed by it!

OH MY GOSH! I am so sorry to hear that you are battling this! I hope that you know you will always be in my prayers.
You are such a insipation to us all. I hope to see you soon. KEEP FIGHTING


LOVE
Y
Thanks Chris for letting us know about it!

 

[Don Gage]

Thank you for posting this Chris,
I will do my best to kick this stuff, with all the support and positive thoughts, I have no doubt or choice but to beat it. I will be limited in mobility over the next couple/several months, so I'll check in with you folks from time to time on MLS. Thanks for all the kind words of encouragement,
Don.