FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
“Beginnings always hide themselves in ends” – Mike Posner
DECEMBER 3, 2019 – EVANSVILLE, IN – Preston Lewis of Oakland City, Indiana, who battled leukemia, is being granted a wish through Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana (Make-A-Wish OKI). Lewis has always been passionate about the automotive repair industry and motorsports, so when leukemia changed his life, Lewis dreamt of building a desert racing team that would give back to kids, especially those impacted by illness and other tough circumstances. Lewis initially asked Make-A-Wish OKI to help him build a desert racing team and trophy truck that he could use to create his ultimate dream, the Off-Road Motorsports Youth Foundation. Make-A-Wish OKI volunteer Kristina Rhodes helped bring Preston’s wish to life.
“Preston is an exceptional young man using his wish to give back to his community. He is and should be an inspiration for all of us. We are so grateful to be part of his amazing journey,” said Rhodes.
Lewis spent a lot of time in the hospital when he was diagnosed with leukemia, so his dream of building a desert race team really began to grow. Lewis had to take a step back from motocross racing, which had always been a passion of his, so he searched for his next big adrenaline rush. Lewis and his father spent countless hours researching desert racing and talking about their future plans.
Despite everything he was going through, Lewis graduated high school, became a Certified Solid Works User, was awarded the Kiwanis award for his excellence in Mechanical Engineering, and has maintained a 4.0 GPA in college. On top of his own ailments and trials, Lewis’s mother was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and passed away only a few months after Lewis completed his chemotherapy treatments. Through his illness and helping his mother in her final days, Lewis grew more determined to make a difference and help children like him who faced adversity and illness.
“There’s no reason to take a back seat to life. Go in and grab it by the horns and hold on,” Lewis said. “If you push hard enough, it’s going to work out. There’s a lot of people that will tell you that it’ll never work, but the only reason it didn’t work for them was because they didn’t try.”
“I am very humbled and grateful to play a small role in helping Preston achieve his wish,” said Michael Davis, member of the Make-A-Wish OKI Indiana Regional Board of Directors. “Preston has a determination to see his dream come true, and I look forward to seeing the great things that will come from the fulfillment of that dream.”
To learn more about Preston Lewis’s OMYF Foundation or to get involved, contact Lewis at [email protected] or visit omy-foundation.org.
ABOUT OFF-ROAD MOTORSPORTS YOUTH FOUNDATION:
Off-Road Motorsports Youth Foundation (OMYF) is a nonprofit organization and desert race team based in Evansville, IN. OMYF is led by cancer survivor and motorsports enthusiast, Preston Lewis, whose dream is to give children affected by unfortunate life circumstances the opportunity to learn about and connect with the motorsports industry. Through hands-on off-road motorsports racing experiences, OMYF gives young people the chance to explore their passions and discover how to apply them in a way that enhances their lives and impacts the community around them. To learn more, visit omy-foundation.org or email [email protected].
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