John Fitch, known to Corvair enthusiasts as the creator of the Fitch Sprint Corvairs, is well-experienced in life-threatening battles, having raced during racing’s most treacherous era and having served with distinction as a P-51 Mustang pilot during World War II. But now Fitch, a Connecticut resident who has been looking forward to visiting the 2012 CORSA Convention in Sturbridge, is in a life-threatening battle once again.
At 94 years of age and still active in the automotive community, in recent days John has suffered serious medical complications. Having spent just over two weeks in his local hospital, bouncing from the Medical/Surgical Unit to the ICU, he has been transferred to a hospital in Hartford, where the region’s best doctors are. He is eating well, and sleeping better, and his indomitable spirit tells us that he has every intention of surviving this.
Many of us on the Northeast Corvair Council’s convention committee have known John Fitch since the NECC first started staging events at Lime Rock Park, just down the street from John’s home, in 1974. His Fitch Sprint Corvairs recognized the GT potential of the Corvair even where General Motors did not, and his Corvair-based Fitch Phoenix remains a distinctive icon. To this day John defends the Corvair against the unfounded criticism it received, and as noted above he has been looking forward to attending the 2012 CORSA Convention.
Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers, as he continues his gallant fight for life.
UPDATE November 10, 2011:
At 94, John is still taking a lot of "Adventures on Wheels." Transport between hospitals... gurney rides... to using his IV pole as a walker!
He is now reading the Wall Street Journal daily, walking twice a day, always a little further, and complying with his treatment plan. Glad to say, his own body is healing many of the issues.
He is looking forward to leaving the hospital soon, and upgrading to a rehab center close to home. And he wants very much to return home, as he has "plenty of work to do!"
Looks like his old P51 Mustang, the "Angel on our Shoulders" did not forget him!
This is great news for one of the last and greatest of "The Greatest Generation."
Your prayers and good wishes are working!
UPDATE November 22, 2011:
John Fitch is now in week six of his recovery. "Recovery" is the right word because that is the path he is on. Yesterday he walked three times, up from two and a little further! He is refusing pain meds because they dull his thinking and, as me says, he has "a lot of work to do!"
He finally has new hearing aides (from the VA) so he feels much better and is now a part of the hearing world. He is still in Hartford Hospital, but it is expected the he will be able to move to a rehab facility near his Lime Rock home.
UPDATE December 13, 2011:
To recap: Two months ago, just three days after driving his Fitch Phoenix on the track at Lime Rock, John Fitch suffered a collapsed lung. This, unfortunately, was followed by an onset of pneumonia. A late-night transport to Hartford Hospital, for more intensive care, proved to be the correct decision.
During the first day at the hospital, John was going through a very hard time. The family came, and the little toddler, granddaughter Gwendolyn, and grandchildren Mercedes and James came into Grandpa's room... three little Magic Wands! John’s eyes flew open and he smiled hugely and proudly.
Day to day, progress was made, and last Monday, he was finally without any health support, and functioning on his own, well enough to be discharged from the hospital, and return to his home neighborhood, for rehab at a facility in Salisbury, Connecticut.
He has a beautiful, private room, and the entire residence is beautifully decorated for the Holidays, and the meals are very good. John does not eat in his room as he prefers to get dressed, and meet some old friends, and make new ones at mealtime.
He is even visiting the chapel, which is quite lovely and serene. He is ready to have some changes in his life, so he is now sporting a goatee!
He is doing his re-hab, and complying with his program, all with the hope of returning to his Lime Rock home in the coming weeks and visiting the Sturbridge convention in July.
UPDATE January 25, 2012:
Yet another "Adventure on Wheels" for John Fitch.. And his family!
Having made excellent progress in rehab at Noble Horizons in Salisbury, near his home, he was due to be discharged earlier this month. In preparation for that, he had asked to have his Mercedes brought to the facility, and it was parked in the first parking space, in view of the main entrance. John was not given the keys, but plans were made for him and an assistant to begin packing his clothes, gifts, paperwork, etc., into the car.
They day before they were to do this, John was seen on the security video walking himself out of the building, without a word to staff, or anyone else. He walked straight to his car without any difficulty (after using a wheel chair for the past several weeks) and drove off!
He went to the nearby McDonald's, and then took himself out for a drive, on a beautiful day... without anyone knowing. By that afternoon, family and friends were all out looking for him and a "Silver Alert" was issued.
While everybody looked everywhere and everyone called everyone, the day was turning into evening and was growing more dark and more cold. But then, about eleven hours after slipping out of the care facility, he strode into the lobby of the historic Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and booked himself a room.
The front desk clerk realized that it was quite unusual for a older gentleman to check in, alone, without any belongings, and notified the police. He was transported to the local medical facility where he spent the night, and he was driven back to Nobel Horizons by noon the next day.
His Mercedes was retrieved and brought to the garage at his house.
He was discharged later that week and, returned to his cherished Lime Rock homestead, now compete with two "live in" gentlemen to see that his needs are met.
This latest adventure put all of his loved ones and his many friends in a serious state of alarm and concern. However, the independent spirit that John Fitch has always had is still clearly present!
UPDATE September 4, 2012:
Having celebrated his 95th birthday in August, John Fitch was able to attend the Labor Day weekend Vintage Festival at Lime Rock, where he was able to spend time with special guest Sir Stirling Moss. In the photo below, Don Klein (left) chats with Fitch (center) and Moss (right).
