[COham] K0YO --- "Michael Newbold Fund

[Bob K0NR]

I am forwarding this message along in case you'd like to help out a
fellow ham in Colorado. I don't know Mike K0YO but I think I've worked
him once on 2M SSB. Gary W0TM lives in Kansas but visits Colorado
often. 
 
73,
Bob Witte K0NR
k0nr@arrl.net

-------------------

gyantis@midtec.com wrote:
From: gyantis@midtec.com
Subject: K0YO --- "Michael Newbold Fund"
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2004 11:03:18 -0600

Some of you know Mike, K0YO, who lives near Steamboat Springs. He's
active in contests and enjoys DXing as well.

Unfortunately, he was recently savagely beaten and robbed then left for
dead in the Baja area of Mexico. At the time, he was camping on the
beach and sleeping in his truck. Three people have been arrested for
other robberies and beatings in that area and the three were probably
also responsible for Mike's injuries and the theft of much of what he
owned in life. They would have killed him but Mike remembers them
saying, in Spanish, that he was already dead so not to keep beating
him. Mike doesn't remember too much but he does remember watching them
beat, then kill, two young Canadian? surfers who were camping nearby. I
don't have all the facts and some that I do may be incorrect. It is my
understanding the bodies of the young surfers were thrown into the
ocean and have not been found. At the present time, a local Steamboat
friend of Mike's, Marty, WO0Q, is in Baja trying to
learn more and if the three that were captured are also being charged
with injuring Mike. Also, for humanitarian reasons, Marty is trying to
discover if the murders of the two youngsters was even reported. Mike
was discovered the next day by another surfer (Mike is not into surfing
as far as I know) believing he had discovered a dead body on the beach.
After some time, it became apparent Mike was still (barely) alive. He
had multiple skull fractures as well as other injuries. His injuries
left him, essentially, blind. He was robbed of his truck and everything
he had.

Since his identification was also stolen, even getting him back into
the
United States took time since he was still, mentally, in a
semi-comatose
condition. After a relatively short hospital stay in San Diego, he was
released but with no funds and no one to turn to. He eventually
remembered his son (Travis) and was able to reach him by telephone.
Since Mike still had no identification, was still mostly blind,
certainly not clear of mind and had no money, he was unable to buy an
airplane ticket. He couldn't have boarded an aircraft anyway since, as
I say, he had no identification. Travis wired him money for a bus
ticket and Mike made it back to Steamboat a few weeks ago. Since then,
he has been slowly regaining his health and his eye sight.

Mike was originally a coal miner in the Steamboat area. He was forced
to
retire at a young age due to several medical problems that precludes
him
from holding any type of regular employment. For a number of years, he
has lived on the small disability checks he receives. He lives in a
converted truck trailer in a rural area near Steamboat. I believe he
discovered ham radio about eight years ago and it's been for him what
ham radio is really meant to be -- "a window on the world" to those who
need it most. Those of you that know Mike, know you'll never meet a
nicer, more friendly, person in the world. That's what makes this even
more tragic. Each year, he's pretty much cut off from the world each
winter since his tractor/trailer home is located down a several mile
normally unplowed road. The winters finally became too much for him a
few years ago. But he wanted to remain in Colorado to be close to his
son, Travis, rather than permanently move to a warmer climate. Travis
works as a motorcycle mechanic in Steamboat. For the last few years,
Mike has spent winters in northern Mexico to avoid the isolation of
being snowed in for months at a time. Since he has little in life and
no source of funds other than his small disability checks, he sleeps in
his truck and camps in the desert or on the beach. Mike has told
me he really enjoys it and doesn't sleep in a bed indoors even when one
is offered.

Mike is now trying to put his life back together. And those that know
him are trying to help. Bob, K9MWM, has already donated a two-meter
radio to Mike to get him back on the local repeaters. Next on the list
is a laptop computer to get him back on the Internet on a regular
basis. I'm obtaining a late-model used Toshiba laptop at cost from
someone who doesn't know Mike but just wants to help. It looks like it
will cost about $600. I'm loading it with software this weekend. I'll
then either deliver it myself to Mike in late February or ship it to
Mike's son, Travis and he will deliver it.

I've established a bank account for Mike at the bank located in my
office building. If you would like to donate to help Mike, anything
you'd like to give would be most appreciated. We're trying to keep this
fund a secret from Mike but, when the account is eventually closed, I
intend to give Mike a list of all those who donated. Amounts will not
be included and, if anyone wishes to donate anonymously, just note that
with your donation and your wish will be honored. Donations from clubs
or charitable organizations are also encouraged. If you're a member of
such a group and feel they might wish to contribute to help Mike,
please give a copy of this e-mail to those in your club who make such
decisions. If additional information is needed, I can be reached during
business hours at 800-844-9860.

Right now, we already have donations of $300 in the account toward the
$600 laptop. After that, we'll ask Travis what he thinks his dad wants
next. I'm guessing a bicycle to replace the one that was stolen. If he
never regains his sight enough to regain his driver's license then
he'll still have some means of getting around at least in the summer.
I'm sure he wants to buy another truck, be able to drive again and
regain his independence. Only time will tell. If we're able to collect
enough in contributions to help him toward buying another truck, that
would be great. At any rate, whatever is in the account when it is
closed will be turned over to Mike after we purchase him the laptop
computer and any other items his son believes he most wants to put his
life back together. Should you wish to make a contribution, please
include your e-mail address. You will be sent an e-mail verifying your
check has been received.

Unfortunately, I do not know many of Mike's ham radio friends in the
Steamboat Springs area (or anywhere else outside of the Vail and
Glenwood Springs areas). And none of his non-ham friends. If any of you
can help with this, please forward this e-mail to anyone you can think
of.

Here is the information on how to make a donation:
1. Make your check payable to "Michael Newbold Fund"
2. Mail it to my office:

Midtec Associates, Inc.
11900 West 87th Street, Suite 220
Lenexa, KS 66215
attention: Ms. Dana Grayson

3.If you wish to send money via PayPal, you can send money to my
address
gyantis@midtec.com and I'll transfer it to Mike's account. Just make
sure you e-mail me in advance so I watch for it.

4. If you included your e-mail address but do NOT receive a "check
received" e-mail from Dana within ten days, please e-mail her at
dgrayson@midtec.com

5. FYI -- the account is at the Premier Bank (same address as above)
account number 70216468 -- "Michael Newbold Fund". The Federal EIN
number of the account is 86-1093872

Note that I did not do all the (time delaying) paperwork to make this a
tax-deductible charitable account. Should this be important to anyone
for any reason (such as a large donation), I can make arrangements to
have the donation run through a non-profit tax-deductible charity. Just
let me know in advance.

Thank you in advance to anyone who wishes to donate to assist a fellow
ham in his time of need. If you've never had the pleasure of meeting
Mike, I hope you do someday. In fact, right now, visitors are what he
wants and needs most. If you're going to be in the Steamboat area for
any reason in coming months, let me know and I or someone else can put
you in touch with Mike. For a photo of Mike go to www.qrz.com and enter
k0yo in the "Get Callsign" blank.

73,
Gary, W0TM gyantis@midtec.com
www.w0tm.com



Here is some additional information I've received concerning this
tragic
event:

recent e-mail from Phil, N0KE:
Mike had his FT100D and FT817 stolen in Baja along with his truck, very
expensive bike, laptop. He looks pretty good considering everything
that
happened. A lot better than the two Canadian surfers camped beside him
that were killed and their bodies thrown over a cliff. He is having
trouble with his eyesight but part of the problem is that they ground
one lense wrong and a replacement is on the way. He got stabbed in the
back with a knife but, fortunately, it wasn't a serious injury. They
also beat him on the head and other parts of his body and aggravated an
ankle injury from his work in the coal mines. He had received about 12
or more strikes on the head with a pipe and has a couple skull of
fractures that are healing well.
Hopefully, his eyesight will continue to improve with time. He doesn't
mind going to the eye doctor because he has a very attractive nurse! At
least he is seeing well enough to notice that! I took him grocery
shopping after lunch and a friend of his working in the produce
department told him he is doing much better than the last time he was
in there when he couldn't get his fruit in the shopping basket.