Forecasters threats of heavy rain, hail and tornadoes be damned.. We did it.. After sitting out a few minutes, waiting for hail and rain fronts to pass over.. I was about fifteen minutes late.. When I learned that everyone had been a little late, I sure felt better.. The skies were clearing when we left the Waffle House, but the afternoon traffic was still pretty bad.. We hit that interstate and headed south.. Mike Alvey took the lead with his two up.. Preacher and I staggered in the lane and tried to hang in there.. We rolled into the TMRA II office sometime after eleven and the Chairman, our new secretary and another good brother were waiting up for us.. What a welcoming committee.. huh ? The visiting was intense, intense until sometime after two in the AM .. we all unrolled the sleeping bags for a well deserved nap and a little rest.. Roll out was around five thirty and after a quick cup of excellent coffee, the final little run to the Capitol began..We hit the steps of the domed building about seven and had breakfast in the cafeteria.. The legislators commenced to arrive and we visited with a few of them before our Bill committee hearing started.. This was a tough bunch of legislators ... for sure, there wasn't too many friendly faces in that crowd.. DPS had some of their own present and there was a defense lawyer that wanted to oppose the Failure to Yield Bill..The good State Representative from Abilene introduced our Bill and explained it to the Committee.. Sputnik followed in support and then we brought out the Big Gun.. Jeanette DeLoach addressed the Committee Panel, in support of the Failure to Yield Bill.. This Bill was previously called the "DeLoach Bill" when it was first proposed, several years ago.. You see, Tom DeLoach was her husband.. They were on a Toy Run when their motorcycle was run over by a cage driver who ran a stop sign .. Tom DeLoach was killed in the collision and Jeanette spent many long and painful months in treatment, a wheelchair and rehab..At one point the doctors advised Jeanette that she'd probably never walk again.. The driver of the cage walked away from that collision without so much as a ticket, even though the witnesses declared that he'd sped up and run the stop sign, just before he hit the motorcycle.. By his own admission the man had a morphine drip apparatus in his arm, at the time.. Tom DeLoach's body was drug screened during autopsy and Jeanette was drug screened in the hospital.. Neither of them were tested positive for drugs of any kind.. not even traces of alcohol were detected.. The cage driver walked away from the consequences of what he'd done, without a scratch and Jeanette was left to comfort the surviving family members, children.. parents and the resulting disastrous financial disaster .. That courageous Sister of ours did walk, painfully but she walked.. She walked into that Committee Hearing Room, almost two and a half years later.. Jeanette DeLoach walked into that Room with all those legislators, surrounded by the Brothers and Sisters, and she shared her story with all of us, gathered in that room.. Although she'll never recover the loss of her husband, Jeanette addressed her support of that Failure to Yield Bill.. Her real life experience she shared, was stark, and brutal.. The entire crowd in that room, could only marvel at her courage, strength and determination.. Tom DeLoach can take pride, she came to Austin, on his behalf and she won hearts and minds .. This Failure to Yield Bill which TMRA II has presented to our Legislature during this Session, must be passed onto the Floor by this Committee.. Our State Representatives and Senators must know that this Bill must be passed on, in the form of a Law.. It must be approved and signed into Law by the Governor.. This Bill is of utmost importance to everyone driver and motorcyle enthusiast who makes use of public streets and highways.. TMRA II has done our part.. We've got this Bill to the Committee.. Now.. it is incumbent upon all of us to make sure that our State Representative and S tate Senator, carefully consider and vote this Bill into Law.. Gracious thanks to Jeanette DeLoach.. her courage and strength will long be remembered by us all.. Many thanks to all the Brothers and Sister TMRA II Warriors who made that trip to Austin, for the privilege and honor to support this brave Sister.. Jeanette DeLoach is an outstanding Example to us all.. Your Friend in Irving Bill Walker
