It was far from the first days of retirement Glenn Willis and his family had been hoping for. The longtime South Windsor mechanic and owner of Willis Service Centre officially celebrated his retirement in late July after 34 years in business. But just two days later, he was being rushed to the hospital, where he remains slowly but surely working to recover.
"That's what's tough. Here, he's supposed to retire and enjoy his life. And this is a big bump in the road right now.
So we're hoping that everything turns out OK," said Gerry Jobin, Willis' best friend of decades, noting how much Glenn loves the community of South Windsor. The news of his illness has been shared across social media, prompting hundreds of comments and well-wishes for his speedy recovery. Glenn Willis (centre) pictured with friends and well-wishers, at his retirement party at Willis Service Centre.
Willis was hospitalized two days later and remains in intensive care. (Submitted by Gerry Jobin) Jobin says Willis, 63, officially closed the doors of Willis Service Centre, formerly located at Howard and Cabana, with a community gathering and barbecue on July 27. Expecting a few good friends to trickle in, Jobin says they were shocked the parking lot was full of friends and former customers, with many other Windsorites driving by honking and waving to send Willis off into his retirement.
"We just, we had a blast. Everything was perfect. That was Saturday.
Sunday he tinkered around the house. And then Monday around lunchtime, he got sick," Jobin said. "We think it could have been [a] possible aneurysm, could have been a stroke, rushed to the hospital and he's holding his own.
"Thank goodness he's holding his own." This Windsor, Ont., car enthusiast is selling his 100-year-old Model T — and yes, it's still driveable It's been 6 months since Windsor got a plasma donation clinic.
This is how it's going Jobin credits Willis' wife Ilean — the couple "like bread and butter" — with getting him help so soon, and the paramedics and doctors who responded so quickly. Jobin says now, he and all of Willis' many family and friends are just hoping and praying for Glenn's continued recovery. "It's still a hit and miss, but we have all the faith in the world in him," Jobin said.
"Everyone's praying and keeping the faith for Glenn." Jobin says he was with Willis that Monday morning, just hours before Glenn would be rushed to the hospital, running an errand emblematic of his friend's good nature. "This is how nice the guy is — He's got a beautiful power wheelchair, worth a lot of money, and he donated it to a retirement home .
.. [An] elderly lady needed one and he was not charging nothing," Jobin said.
"You know, he'd give you the shirt off his back anytime." Jobin says Willis is a member of the Misfits car club and is eager to spend his retirement tinkering with his own show cars, instead of fixing other people's. He's a doting grandfather who can't wait to spend more time with his granddaughter, who loves to cruise down Ouellette with her "papa," especially in the loud cars.
Gerry Jobin holds the sign from Willis Service Centre, owned by Glenn Willis. Willis is in the hospital after suffering a suspected aneurysm just days after his retirement. (Kathleen Saylors/CBC) "This is an eye-opener for everyone around who loves him and keeps the faith and prayers every day.
I get messages all day long saying, 'we're praying for your buddy' so we're hoping they work." Ilean Willis has taken to posting regular updates on Glenn's recovery to community Facebook groups, where hundreds of people share their wishes for Glenn's recovery. In an update earlier this week she said things were "up and down.
..that's what I have been told will happen.
" "I talk to him everyday telling him so many people [are] praying for him," Ilean Willis told CBC News. Code black, code red minutes trending down for 2024, EMS chief reports The coming U.S.
border regulations that have dog owners on both sides of the border concerned It's now been eight days since Glenn went into the hospital, and Jobin says there have been improvements, but it's a slow road. "Isn't that crazy, you know how fragile is life? That shows you right there," he said. "It's time to really relax and look at what you have.
Smell the roses, right? Life goes by, it's a fleeting glimpse and the older you get, the faster it goes. So just enjoy your health now, enjoy your friends, family, just enjoy. We have to.
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