Viper Steve Fund
Donation protected
I first met Steve when I flew to Canada to help a customer/friend Alon Mizrahi with some track support for his Twin Turbo Dodge Viper that my company, A&C Performance built. I spent 3 days with Alon and his close group of great friends. Viper Steve as they call him, was one of these amazing friends. From the first time I shook his hand I realized this had to be one of the biggest Viper enthusiasts on the planet. Needless to say we got along immediately.
Over the next few days I got to really know all of them. Steve especially. Let me give you a little background on Steve. Steve owns a guitar repair shop, which he does with a passion. He chose this as music calms him down. This man knows literally every viper option, paint code, how many units were built in which year. He was like a viper encyclopedia. This alone did not make me start this fund. We all have a favorite car, a passion for something. Lets talk about what did make me start this fund. Steve has autism. He still functions normally as anybody does, just with extreme focus. He really "gets into" what he does probably a bit more than most. But most important is what he DOESN'T do well.
Steve doesn't own a car. He lives by himself and makes enough money to live his life. He may not own all the things lots of money can buy, but what he does have he absolutely cherishes. He refuses to take handouts, or ask for favors, but rather offers himself to his friends and family and never says no to anybody! This man wears his true colors on his sleeve for all to see. He'll walk for miles to help somebody change a tire. He'd rather walk a mile home, then put anybody out of there way giving him a ride. This list goes on with the respect this man gives everybody and therefore he earned my respect as well.
I watched Steve run across the drag strip just to greet a Viper owner. In addition most of Steve's clothing, jackets, etc, ALL have Viper insignia on them. At one time, his close friends tried to buy one of Steve's jackets that had Viper insignia on it and was somewhat rare. They offered him a ludicrous amount of money because they would be helping him. He refused, and said he couldn't do it because all of his Viper memorabilia makes him happy, calm and at peace. He enjoyed these things too much to part with them!
After our racing events for the weekend, Steve surprised me. He opened the truck door and presented me with a gift. It was a one of one custom built, BY HIM, electric Viper guitar. It is the same color code as the Viper I had built for his friend. He built and tuned this himself and it is pure perfection. Although people with Autism may be different in some ways, many are amazingly gifted in others. Steve is this perfect example! In addition, Steve paid for the materials to build this for me with his own money. He probably invested $1500 of his own money, which he did not have to blow, to build this for me. I am in the process of making a custom case to hang this masterpiece on my wall for all to see. This man took this upon himself to do this and took no help from others to make it happen.
I have a wonderful family but a small one. I lost my parents at 24 and don't have a large circle of friends and family. I've worked hard to get where I am today. I run and own A&C Performance Inc, a Dodge Viper Specialty Shop. I'm not to great working around the house. Not very Artistic either. I try to be a great father of the 2 daughters I have and be a loyal man to the woman I love. In addition to that my loyalty to my customers is where I take pride. I never give up, my attention to detail is second to none, and I always give 100 percent to all of my customers, even when nobody is there to witness. My father lived by his word, a handshake, and made me the man I am today.
I've never had anything given to me. Nor have I asked. And never felt compelled to do anything like this until I met Steve. I may not be able to offer many things I cannot do, BUT Building a one off Dodge Viper to meticulous standards for one amazing person to cherish, I CAN! I am going to build Steve the Viper of his dreams. Life is so short, and this man would keep this Viper until he takes his last breath. Steve is a single man and is one of the best examples of a "good man", that I have ever had the privilege of meeting / knowing. You can never count on tomorrow, and that's why I started this fund. Your contribution will help make one mans dream a reality sooner than later. Everybody that donates will be listed when I present this Viper to Steve LIVE in Canada.
Again, I even appreciate you taking the time to read this, and look forward to any contribution you can give to help make this mans dream a reality.
Over the next few days I got to really know all of them. Steve especially. Let me give you a little background on Steve. Steve owns a guitar repair shop, which he does with a passion. He chose this as music calms him down. This man knows literally every viper option, paint code, how many units were built in which year. He was like a viper encyclopedia. This alone did not make me start this fund. We all have a favorite car, a passion for something. Lets talk about what did make me start this fund. Steve has autism. He still functions normally as anybody does, just with extreme focus. He really "gets into" what he does probably a bit more than most. But most important is what he DOESN'T do well.
Steve doesn't own a car. He lives by himself and makes enough money to live his life. He may not own all the things lots of money can buy, but what he does have he absolutely cherishes. He refuses to take handouts, or ask for favors, but rather offers himself to his friends and family and never says no to anybody! This man wears his true colors on his sleeve for all to see. He'll walk for miles to help somebody change a tire. He'd rather walk a mile home, then put anybody out of there way giving him a ride. This list goes on with the respect this man gives everybody and therefore he earned my respect as well.
I watched Steve run across the drag strip just to greet a Viper owner. In addition most of Steve's clothing, jackets, etc, ALL have Viper insignia on them. At one time, his close friends tried to buy one of Steve's jackets that had Viper insignia on it and was somewhat rare. They offered him a ludicrous amount of money because they would be helping him. He refused, and said he couldn't do it because all of his Viper memorabilia makes him happy, calm and at peace. He enjoyed these things too much to part with them!
After our racing events for the weekend, Steve surprised me. He opened the truck door and presented me with a gift. It was a one of one custom built, BY HIM, electric Viper guitar. It is the same color code as the Viper I had built for his friend. He built and tuned this himself and it is pure perfection. Although people with Autism may be different in some ways, many are amazingly gifted in others. Steve is this perfect example! In addition, Steve paid for the materials to build this for me with his own money. He probably invested $1500 of his own money, which he did not have to blow, to build this for me. I am in the process of making a custom case to hang this masterpiece on my wall for all to see. This man took this upon himself to do this and took no help from others to make it happen.
I have a wonderful family but a small one. I lost my parents at 24 and don't have a large circle of friends and family. I've worked hard to get where I am today. I run and own A&C Performance Inc, a Dodge Viper Specialty Shop. I'm not to great working around the house. Not very Artistic either. I try to be a great father of the 2 daughters I have and be a loyal man to the woman I love. In addition to that my loyalty to my customers is where I take pride. I never give up, my attention to detail is second to none, and I always give 100 percent to all of my customers, even when nobody is there to witness. My father lived by his word, a handshake, and made me the man I am today.
I've never had anything given to me. Nor have I asked. And never felt compelled to do anything like this until I met Steve. I may not be able to offer many things I cannot do, BUT Building a one off Dodge Viper to meticulous standards for one amazing person to cherish, I CAN! I am going to build Steve the Viper of his dreams. Life is so short, and this man would keep this Viper until he takes his last breath. Steve is a single man and is one of the best examples of a "good man", that I have ever had the privilege of meeting / knowing. You can never count on tomorrow, and that's why I started this fund. Your contribution will help make one mans dream a reality sooner than later. Everybody that donates will be listed when I present this Viper to Steve LIVE in Canada.
Again, I even appreciate you taking the time to read this, and look forward to any contribution you can give to help make this mans dream a reality.
Organizer
Todd Abrams
Organizer
Murrieta, CA