Tyler Shipman, an 18-year-old High School Senior in Frazee, Minnesota, had been diagnosed with Synovial Sarcoma, a very rare and aggressive form of cancer that primarily affects young adults. He could no longer walk and had difficulty moving.

Tyler Shipman, posted a wish on an Internet chat forum geared to Fiero fanatics. He told them he'd been slowly rebuilding a 1986 Pontiac Fiero, the second he'd owned. "I sit at the hospital with cancer and they can't treat it," Tyler wrote. "(They don't know) how long I'll be here; they say could be till spring or longer, or shorter ... I'm just trying to find some way to get it restored before I pass."

At 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 22 his wish came true. After traveling to Frazee and working through the night at Frazee Auto Body, which donated the shop and tools, 20-plus members from Pennock's Fiero Forum unveiled the masterpiece to the crowd gathered in the high school parking lot. As the hearty rev of an engine rolled, a garage door opened and a fog machine puffed out a heavy cloud. A canary yellow Fiero, rebuilt from tip to tail, emerged from the haze; it's speakers rocking out one of Tyler's favorite songs.

His smile was as bright as his car. At first Tyler admired it from afar, allowing the 100-plus people who came to witness the unveiling to have the first up-close glance. His parents, teachers and friends will tell you that's just part of his character, to put himself second. "Tyler is the kind of kid that any parent would be proud of. He's giving, always respectful, kind; just an all-around-good kid."

After the crowd parted, someone asked Tyler if he was going to take it for a spin.Without hesitation, Tyler said yes. His family helped him into the driver seat. His father, Jay, was the first to go for a ride. Tyler shifted into drive and slowly inched forward through the parting crowd. Rolling into the street, Tyler hit the gas as his 10-year-old brother and two sisters, 8 and 21, cheered and his mother, Daneele, wiped tears from her eyes."This is the only car that has ever made me cry," "For the past few weeks the car is all Tyler has talked about," she said. 

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The makings of a dream began across the globe when Andrew Weigle, a U.S. Sgt. with E Company's 1-150th Assault Helicopter Battalion read Tyler's post. Even though Andrew, a resident of East Berlin, Penn., was serving in the Iraqi War, he knew he had to do something.  Cancer had touched his family, so he knew the power of a smile during rough days. At first, the mission was to get Tyler a new bumper. But the generosity of Pennock's Fiero Forum members quickly expanded it into a full-blown rebuild weekend. Event organizer, Chris Kliewer, originally from the suburbs of Saint Paul, MN, gathered businesses and people for the rebuild.  He was in good company. Besides the volunteers and community members who stopped by to keep them fed and in good spirits, there was an online following of people who watched the rebuild via webcast, many of whom stayed until the mission was complete. From Iraq, Andrew was able to watch the build and the unveiling via a webcast provided by KARE-11 Twin Cities. The TV station attended the build and through the web-based communications tool, Skype, was able to give Andrew a front row seat for the big moment. Andrew, also arranged for an American Flag, which was flown in an Iraqi combat mission on a Blackhawk helicopter, to be given to Tyler for his honorable battle with cancer.

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In Italian, Fiero means very proud, in Spanish, it means fierce; both are perfect words to describe the historic effort that was a tribute to humanity and goodwill towards men. "God bless them for what they've done," Daneele said. "They will never know how much it means to my family." • by Barbie Porter

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