Remembering Tony Renna

Today is the anniversary of the death of rising IndyCar Series star Tony Renna. His story is remains one of the hardest things I'll ever deal with, even with the passage of a year.

I didn't work very long with Tony, really it was getting quotes from him at a couple of races in 2002 and again at the 500 in 2003, but it always hit close to me because he was the guy who I identified with. He waited so long for his big break, and when he finally got it, he never got to enjoy it.

Every day I drive by two of his favorite places in the world -- the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Starbucks. Today, I couldn't pass either without thinking about him.

I ran across the eulogy his best friend gave at his funeral last year. These words at the end stuck with my most:

TONY LIVED A FULL AND HAPPY LIFE IN 26 YEARS. ONE THAT HIS FAMILY, AND YOU, DEB, CAN BE PROUD TO HAVE MADE HAPPEN. HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE ARE GREAT AND MANY.

BUT HIS BIGGEST IS HAVING LOVED US AND WE ARE BETTER PEOPLE FOR HAVING SHARED HIS LIFE.

THE HOLE IN OUR HEARTS WILL MEND WITH THE SUPPORT OF ONE ANOTHER AND THE COURSE OF TIME.

LET’S NOW COMMIT TO BE THERE FOR ONE ANOTHER-FOREVER WE WILL MISS THE BRIGHTNESS HE ADDED TO OUR DAY, THE COURAGE HE DISPLAYED IN ADVERSITY, THE LOVE AND HAPPINESS THAT HE SHARED AND CREATED FOR THOSE AROUND HIM A HUSBAND, A SON, A BROTHER AND A BEST FRIEND IS LOST, BUT WE WILL MEET AGAIN- GODSPEED TONY.