Car enthusiasts with the Hot Rods Unlimited Club paraded in front of 78-year-old Terry Beezley’s Lake Forest home to celebrate his birthday Monday.
Beezley, a longtime member of the club, was diagnosed with stage four cancer and is set to undergo treatment soon, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
“[It’s] a little bit overwhelming,” he said. “I had no idea it was going to be this big.”
His friends cruised by in colorful and shiny old cars, dressed up in balloons and posters, honking and waving, as he sat in front of his lawn, wearing a mask. Even neighbors popped out to show their support and wish him a happy birthday.
“I thought this would be a good time to pull everyone together… so everybody could see him and wish him well because he’s going to beat cancer,” his daughter, Trisha Clingenpel, said. “Way more people came than I expected. It makes my heart just burst for him.”
Clingenpel, who organized the parade, says she hopes seeing all the people who love him will lift his spirits and make him “fight the good fight.”
