Corvette, Cancer & Caring

sioux falls, sd

For nearly three years we've been following the story of John Sweeney and his 1962 Classic Corvette.  The community came together to help him get it fully restored as he fought cancer. 

As we reported last week, Sweeney lost his battle with the disease and today family and friends gathered to say goodbye to the man and his car.

If there's one thing people will remember about Sweeney, it's that he loved two things; his family and his Corvette.

In early 2010, dozens of business and volunteers came together to fully restore Sweeney's Corvette as he fought cancer.

"It's really a classic design.  I looked at a number of cars and I looked at this one and the price was right so I just got it," Sweeney said in his first interview back in February of 2010.

KELOLAND News followed Sweeney's story from the beginning to end as he watched a life long dream come true.  The paint, the chrome, the community support. Sweeney never asked for any of it and surely not the cancer.

"I just think of you people involved in this Corvette; this dream, this hope, talk about a community coming together to bring life into where there might not be life, what a gift. I wish I knew how many people were involved, " Reverend Joseph Vogel said.

At his funeral, mourners remembered a military veteran who enjoyed life to its fullest and perhaps even more so now in heaven.

"You know in heaven there's no speed limit, I'm driving that Corvette as fast as I can. I got control," Reverend Vogel said.

Sweeney's fight with cancer was a long tough road, but thanks to so many at least he had the chance to ride it in style, if only for a little while, leaving a family only imagining John riding off into the sunset.

John Sweeney was 61.  His Corvette is going to remain in the family.  But Automania has agreed to store it and maintain it for them. You may even see it a few car shows.

Check out our previous stories with Sweeney:

• Feb. 2, 2010: The Drive Against Cancer
• May 5, 2010: 1962 Corvette Update
• June 14, 2010: Long Road For Sweeney, His Corvette

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