Kit Jors is a Road Star owner who was very fortunate to be the recipient of the Road Star Riders Benefit Raffle that raised over $12,500 to help assist him financially through a hard time he has ahead.

RSM: Today RoadStarMagazine.com is interviewing Road Star owner Kit Jors, who is the recipient of the Road Star Riders Benefit Raffle. The raffle was started to support Kit and his wife Delia as Kit is suffering from a serious illness that threatens to lose them their home. Why don't you tell us a quick little bit about yourself, Kit?

Kit: Well, I am 52 and the best bald Barber you'll ever meet!  That is what I do when not fighting cancer.  I love riding my Road Star 2003 LE purchased just one month before I was diagnosed with Lymphoma.  I don't know what has transformed me more, getting cancer, or getting the Road Star.  When I got back into riding after a 30-year lay off I never dreamed of the friends and brothers that came with the package.   I enjoy the Road Star Rider Forum almost as much a new chrome accessory for the Roadie.   I am an easy going guy with a good sense of humor and can laugh at myself and I often do just to get ahead of you laughing at me (grin)  

RSM: You just mentioned the illness you are suffering from is Lymphoma, could you tell us a little bit more about it and how it has impacted on your life?

Kit:  Well, Dec 13th 2002.. at the Barber Shop....a Friday 3:00 PM  my doctor calls with the biopsy report.   Lymphoma, Stage 4.   I had a shop full of customers waiting for me as I tried to deal with the news.  I can tell you that many things followed.  As a man, most of us swim in pride, most of us seem to think we carry or own load in life and now I was feeling out of control and helpless.  I didn't have any clue how I was going to survive financially, emotionally or physically.  I had only taken one week of vacation in the last 5 years and now I was going to have to be off for 8 months.  I was in a state of panic.  That is when I posted to Road Star Rider Forum with the "No Chrome for Christmas" thread.  As I now understand it, that is when Greg White started behind the scenes to get the raffle going for me.    This was the AMAZING GRACE, AMAZING BROTHERHOOD, that is what I feel today.  

RSM: As we understand it, Stage 4 Lymphoma is pretty serious?

Kit: Stages start at 1 and go to 4.  4 meaning that I have all my nodes affected and my blood and bone marrow involved while showing signs of the disease.  So yes if I don't get this under remission it will be serious.  After my treatment I will need to pray to have a long remission before more treatment. There is no cure presently.  

RSM: And is this the first time cancer has shown itself in your life, Kit?

Kit: I had skin cancer last year.  It was nothing serious and I thought I had dodged a bullet.  There is cancer in my family, in fact my cousin Walt has the same form of Lymphoma that I have.  He went through a bone marrow stem cell transplant and has been in remission now for four years.    

RSM: So how important to your "therapy" is getting out and about on your Road Star?  

Kit: I will tell you plainly, the Road Star is saving my life.  I told my wife after I bought the Road Star that I had finally found my "passion"!   Riding and the Brotherhood gives me the strength and push and fight the disease.  I needed this bike.  I needed the forum and somehow God blessed me with both just in the nick of time!  In my bad weeks I can polish the chrome and make posts on the forum, and when I feel better I go for a ride and forget my troubles.  I am thankful for my bike.  I told my wife that the house would have to go before the Road Star.  I was halfway serious!

Open the picture to see who everyone is

RSM: In regards to the Road Star Riders Benefit Raffle, seeing that you are an active member of the Road Star Riders Forum, did you have any idea at all, even a little little bit, that the raffle proceeds were for you and your wife? And how did you feel when you found out it was for you?

Kit: Listen, I am serious, this was the biggest surprise and blessing of my life.  I cried when Steve S. started making the presentation for me at lunch.  I mean I was hit with this blind.  I even had a guy on the forum that knew I had cancer ask if I was the one the raffle was for.  I said nope I am not the one, but I get plenty of good gifts off this forum.   I don't know how the raffle was kept from me? I mean I knew of it and all, but never dreamed it was in my behalf.  I had only been visiting the forum a matter of weeks when Greg White started this gift for my wife and me.  Now, try to stand in my shoes, would you believe it could have been you in that circumstance?

The moment Kit found out

RSM: And just how much will the money from the raffle have a bearing on your lives?  

Kit:  Okay let me say....I am keeping the Road Star now.....ya hoo... but really on the serious side.  I can now make all my house payments all the way through my treatment.   I believe if I get a remission, the Forum can share with God the Glory for my good state of mind that will help me heal.  I feel like a ton of bricks has been lifted off my mind.  My spirit and soul have been lifted up and my faith strengthened!

RSM: The thing that quite possibly made the raffle the success it was could have been the outpouring of prizes by vendors AND individuals alike, including a custom $1000 paint job and a custom frame that was auctioned off for $1000.  To top that, a number of prize winners actually on-sold their prizes privately so they could add that money into the pool of donations!  How does it make you feel to be a part of a community with that kind of generosity?

Kit: I was speechless,  I was overwhelmed, I was shocked, I was grateful, I felt unworthy, I was amazed,  and I was proud of the Road Star Riders.  Most important feeling of the many, many emotions about these guys and what they did is "Thankfulness" !

RSM: And what does your wife Delia think of this bunch of soft hearted and cuddly, "Biker Scum"?

Kit: My wife thinks that the Road Star Riders are absolutely wonderful.  Many times way prior to us knowing about this raffle gift to us my wife would say," those are really nice guys"  She would comment that she was thankful I had the friends on the forum to get support and friendship and of course great information about the ride!  She has seen how, while I was at home recovering from the chemo, I took a lot of pleasure reading and making post to the Forum.  My wife rides with me and has met Steve S. (Bonehead) that has done so much for us.  She thinks Steve is an example of the BEST there is in this world.  I tell her yep ... Road Star Riders are special!  

Pat Sills, Loren Cole & Brent Huffer.  Biker Scum <g>

RSM: As you mentioned earlier, it was Greg White who kicked all of this off, which in turn was then further assisted by the Moderators of the Road Star Riders Forum who started the benefit Raffle.  Particular mention would have to go to Dave "Thor" Meyers, Mike "Mr Tidy" Roe and Steve "Gram" Graham who are all part of the moderating team.  Do you have anything you want to say about Greg and the others and is there anyone else you would like to acknowledge?

Kit:  Yes I want to thank Steve "Bonehead" Shiver. He is a Road Star Forum member and I am only finding out how much behind the scenes that Steve has done for me.  He lives two miles from my house and he reported to the moderators all about my condition and he presented the raffle gift and got the lunch together.  He did all of this while never giving me a clue what he was up to.  He to this day down plays what he did and is humble. Mr. Baron gave me Barons highway bars as a gift and sent them to Steve S.  Steve S not only delivered them to me but he installed them.  He also removed my A I S for me.  See, I am not much of a wrench.   I have found this with everyone I have tried to thank, they down play what they did and are quite modest about everything.   I also want to thank Mike Roe and all of the guys I wish I could name personally!  

RSM: So to the future, how much longer is your chemo treatment and how is it all progressing?

Kit: With cancer you are never really sure how long treatment will be.  But I am scheduled to be tied up 4-5 more months.  Everything at that point will depend on what they call re-staging. They will see how much of a remission I achieved and where do we  go from there.   Remission can last months or even years if you are given grace.  I will tell you this, having a Road Star and being on the Road Star Forum adds to whatever quality time I have left on earth.  I am a happy man, so nobody be sorry for me!

RSM: Thanks so very much for spending a little time with us today, Kit.  I am sure the whole Road Star community wishes for your speedy recovery and positive outcomes from your treatment.  Stay strong.

Kit: Thanks Glenn, I appreciate your efforts to report the wonderful thing the Road Star Riders did here.  I hope that they feel good when they read the article about how they were so helpful.

Attached, with permission, is the letter Bro. Greg White included with the takings from the raffle, plus his original message to rally support for Kit.

April 2003
RoadStarMagazine.com