ITS trucker dares other drivers to join charitable cause

BELLEVILLE, Ont. — James (Roy) Shettell, an owner-operator with International Truckload Services (ITS), out of this southern Ontario town, has thrown down the gauntlet.

The driver has issued a fundraising challenge he has called “Miles for Ryan” in support of his colleague Lisa Hamilton.

You might have heard about Hamilton. She works in ITS’s billing department and in June, her son Ryan Gallaher, 35, was almost killed in a motorcycle accident in Vietnam.

He was there teaching English and now, he’s lying comatose in a London, Ont. hospital.

Between the time of the accident and now, the bills have piled up, way up, and it was only through the generosity, prayers and good heartedness of Hamilton’s colleagues, co-workers and the brass at ITS that she could afford to take time off, travel to Asia, and fly her son to Canada. And even though he’s been repatriated, they’re faced with a mountain of debt.

Almost $150,000-worth, actually.

As her colleagues at ITS continue to brainstorm about how to help her raise the money, Shettell the driver has said he will donate one cent per mile during a six week period, and he is challenging other drivers to do the same. (If they can’t do six week, they might try four. Or two. Or one. Anything’s good.)

For more information, see Ryan’s website — www.bringryanhome.ca — if you are interested in signing up please contact ITS at 613-961-5144 or email jfisk@itsinc.on.ca.

Editor’s update: Since this story was first posted, todaystrucking.com has been informed that Gallaher is no longer classified as being in a coma.  Doctors are saying he has suffered brain damage and are now looking to place him in an outside facility by the end of the week with possible rehabilitation.

The need for support continues.