Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

First Person/Opinion

By John Ulrich

The horrible news that Randy Renfrow was on life support in a hospital after falling down stairs and hitting his head seemed horribly ironic given his long career as a motorcycle racer.

Renfrow has long defined tough; how many other guys, after smashing and grinding a thumb so badly in a crash that it had to be amputated, would have a big toe relocated onto his hand so he could grip the bars and continue to race?

I don’t know the details of what happened to Renfrow; I was travelling when whatever happened, happened.

But I know that Renfrow has always been a decent guy, with a unique historical perspective on racing. He had been around so long that he could always offer sage advice on any new plan, along the lines of, what happened the last time we tried that.

And, of course, he was an AMA Champion several times over.

I don’t have the latest on Renfrow’s condition. But I wish him well, and Godspeed.

And I ponder the fact that such a great warrior could be felled at home, on a flight of stairs.

Life is dangerous.

Live it now.

Or, race today, for tomorrow we may die.