We at Faith Plating
are proud to present to you the inspirational story of our cousin
AL PARCO
REBEL WITH A CAUSE
Like any true rebel, Al said "I refused to listen to the doctors when they told me I would "kick off" in six months"
…It has been more than 10 years, and both Al and his chopper are running on all cylinders.
Al’s Story
"It was 5 p.m., a week before Christmas, in 1987. I was driving home from my motorcycle shop (‘Hog Wild’ in North Hollywood Ca.) with the idea of going to bed early because I had plans to attend a custom car and motorcycle show the next day. I was on Oxnard Blvd., when all of a sudden a woman driving her boyfriend’s pickup truck ran a red light and slammed into me, sending me flying 30 feet down the road."
The Vitals:
Al was 29 years old
Neither the women nor her boyfriend had insurance
The doctors told Al’s family not to expect him to live more than 6 months.
Many factors saved Al’s life. Al was as strong as the proverbial Ox. " I was one muscle-bound SOB. Not long before the accident, I changed gyms because my old gym did not have enough weight for me to lift." Al has had tremendous support from friends and family. In 1988, hundreds attended a benefit held in Al’s honor. In 1998, more than 200 came to celebrate Al’s 40th birthday.
Nonetheless, what may have been Al’s saving grace was his determination and unwillingness to be told what to do. Like any true rebel, Al states "I refused to listen to the doctors when they told me I would ‘kick off’ in six months."
No matter how bad things got, Al never lost his love for motorcycles or his goal of restoring his chopper. "I never gave up hope of finishing the restoration of my bike.
"What bugs me more than anything else is when people ask me, ‘Why are you fixing the bike that messed you up?’ I tell them ‘Motorcycles don’t kill bikers, idiot drivers kill bikers’. "I will remain A BIKER FOREVER".
Besides winning numerous awards, Al’s chopper has been photographed for a calendar and the cover of an upcoming motorcycle magazine. "One thing I can say, it wasn’t so bad watching a half naked model being photographed on my bike for six hours!"
Al will answer questions regarding motorcycles and the experiences of his life. Both the questions and his responses will be located on our "Ask Al" page.