By Susan Reiser, Tri-State Neighbor Correspondent
“My heart is broke in a million pieces. Chuckwagon racing has been a way of life for the Essick family. We have lived it 24/7 for 54 years,” said 72-year-old Ellen Essick, as she wiped a tear from her eye.
kAm%96 r9F4<H28@? #246CD @7 x@H2\|:??6D@E2 2??@F?465 62C=:6C E9:D J62C E92E E96 @C82?:K2E:@? H2D 5:D32?5:?8 27E6C E96 7:?2= C246 2E E96 6?5 @7 E96 D62D@? H9:49 92AA6?D E@ 36 E96 a_`h r=2J r@F?EJ u2:C] %96 @C82?:K2E:@? :D 4@>AC:D65 @7 2 8C@FA @7 9@CD6>6? H9@ H@C< 2E E96:C EC256D 5FC:?8 E96 H66< 2?5 ;FDE 92AA6? E@ =:<6 E@ C246 49F4<H28@?D :? E96:C DA2C6 E:>6]k^Am
kAm“(6 925 6:89E H28@?D 2?5 EH@ H2?E65 @FE] (6 4@F=5?’E C6A=246 E96>] %92E =67E D:I H28@?D] }@H E9C66 >@C6 H2?E @FE H9:49 =62G6D E9C66 H28@?D 2?5 H6 42?’E 7:?5 2?J@?6 E@ E2<6 E96> @G6C[” D2:5 tDD:4<[ H9@ 92D 366? 2EE6?5:?8 2?5 A2CE:4:A2E:?8 :? 49F4<H28@? C246D D:?46 `hed]k^Am
kAm%96 =2E6 $EF3 y@9?D@?[ @7 $A6?46C[ E96 =2E6 w2C@=5 w6DD6C[ @7 y24<D@?[ |:??6D@E2[ 2?5 E96 =2E6 z6??J &56?[ @7 p=A92[ |:??6D@E2 DE2CE65 E96 2DD@4:2E:@? :? `hdf 2D 2 “DE:== 52J” >62?:?8[ 244@C5:?8 E@ tDD:4<[ ?@E 2AA62C:?8 2E E96 72:C] r9F4<H28@? C246D DE2CE65 4@>A6E:?8 :? 7C@?E @7 E96 8C2?5DE2?5 2E E96 r=2J r@F?EJ u2:C :? `hea]k^Am