To our wonderful racing family...thank you.

[Beth Denysenko]

I didn't want to post this in the comments on the thread about Alex as I wanted to make sure you all would read this. And I wasn't ready to write this yet when I posted his arrangements or I would have included it there. As you can imagine, it has been an incredibly emotional time for me. And for those of you who have had to plan an unexpected funeral, insanely busy.

This has been so wonderful, reading all these tributes and memories of Alex. He truly was a one of a kind man. So knowledgeable and willing to share his tricks and tips. Well most of them, his second favorite phrase was "Lessons are extra". His first favorite phrase was "No brag, just fact" and he lived exactly that. He backed up his words with action and he was a force to be reckoned with. Alex could make a room vibrate with just his presence.

The Ford and Mustang world, and the Sportsman racing world all lost an amazing resource. He forgot more than many so called experts knew. More importantly, the whole world lost a really good friend. He was quick to make friends and more importantly keep them. He called everyone a friend, I would always say to him - I know a lot of people, but I don't have that many friends. Alex would disagree. He considered every person he knew a friend. And he behaved accordingly. Alex was one of those guys that would give the shirt off his back. And his racing fuel if you ran out, and his tools if you needed it. And his advice if he thought he could help. Even to the end.

I am sick that we have to celebrate the end of such an extraordinary life so soon. He had suffered greatly after his stroke, in constant massive, chronic pain, mentally and physically. The same vibrant guy who was constantly moving, doing, thinking before his stroke was now trapped in a body that fought against him every second and caused him so much pain. We did all we could to keep him moving forward but his body just didn't cooperate. It wore at his soul and his spirit every day. I am very serious when I say he is in a better place without pain, and hopefully he has found some mental peace too as he is now free of a body that failed him miserably at the end.

The racing community is truly a family. You sent him hundreds of cards when he suffered his stroke. Many of you have called and checked on him over the years. And now we come together to remember and rejoice in a full life very well lived. I can only hope when my time comes in many many years if I do this right, that I have a fraction of the wonderful people thinking of me when I pass.

God bless YOU all! Go home and hug your family. Tell your spouse you love them, even though they probably already know that. Call a friend you haven't talked to in a while, help out your neighbor or even a stranger. Appreciate your health and take care of yourself. Know that every day is a blessing, go make the most of it. Do it for yourself and for Alex.

Thank you all so very much. And I hope to see some of you on Sunday to celebrate this amazing man and his incredible, so very full life.

Beth