I'd like you to meet my friend Rory.
Last edited Fri Oct 24, 2025, 06:58 PM - Edit history (1)
An anonymous donor has filled my request, so please read this post if you want to understand why this is so important to me, but please do not donate anymore as my need has been filled.
Thank you Thank you, Thank you!
That I am asking you for help with this is once again, embarrassing and humiliating, so please know that I ask because it's my turn to be a little miracle, and if I have to hold a cardboard sign, I'll have to. I say that only to say I feel like I have no other honorable choice.
As I've posted before, our friendship began 3-22-96 at Suburban/Green& White Taxi in Minneapolis, MN.
https://imgur.com/a/8MBSjti
His story is similar to many in that he worked anonymously all his life, his integrity and ethics never questioned as millions of dollars flowed to one rich guy through Rory's hands.
He reinforced so many of my beliefs in great customer service with his daily practice of nothing less.
His father was a practicing Minister until his mid 90's and Rory sort of followed in that he also became ordained as such, but only practiced in lay terms if you will
He faced and overcame many demons in his life, a divorce, less than stellar familial relationships, and for many years in his own words, a me first attitude.
I was fortunate to share the better half of his life, as he remarried and reconnected with some of his family and basically adopted a large new one.
I think of the movie "Bucket List" and one item on the list moves me to tears, because we were blessed to experience that numerous times. The listed item was " Laugh Until You Cry".
I'm asking for your help to achieve that one item on the list face to face a few more times. I am $500 of the way to the estimated $800 cost for the vehicle and gas. The rental is $560.61 and I've budgeted for 80 gallons of gas at $3 per gallon and 1600 miles total based on 600 each way plus up to 400 incidental, like trip to and from car rental agency which is 35 miles from me. Confirmed:
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Reservation 1588684511 at Effingham
Pick-Up Details
Location
Effingham
Date & Time
Thursday, October 30, 2025 @ 12:00 PM
Address
1608 S Banker St
Effingham, IL 62401
Phone
+1 217-347-6600
Hours
Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Return Details
Location
Effingham
Date & Time
Thursday, November 13, 2025 @ 12:00 PM
Address
1608 S Banker St
Effingham, IL 62401
Phone
+1 217-347-6600
Hours
Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-john-mckusick-overcome-health-and-financial-struggles
As we worked together, his humble and simple ways rubbed off on me profoundly.
The simple joy of listening to the Twins on his little transistor radio during our afternoon rush, he always called his wife during lunch or early afternoon, every single day, without fail and just told her to be careful and that he loved her.
He was unceremoniously let go in 2003 in large part because of his MS, and it's impact on his ability to get to and from work safely.
He apparently had had a couple of minor fender benders as it got harder to use the pedals in proper time.
One by one our mutual friends moved on with their lives, I moved on two years later to start my own taxi company and the one constantt was our daily calls, usually during the Twins game, to banter, argue politically, and to be verbal companions.
I know he has shared similar words of my importance in his life to his family, most of whom I've never met lol, but they all talk to me as if I'd been around for years. I don't know if that makes sense, he and I spoke more than he and his family and so he shared me with them verbally.
He's been functionally bedridden since about 2005 and most would believe I was a lifeline to him, but as I sob between these words, he was much more a lifeline to me, as I struggled so much with relationships.
He was many days the only real person I talked to, his family was always near, whereas, he really was mine so to speak.
I owe him this, and I owe myself this. I must go through this with my eyes and heart open, great love has a great price, and while the dollars matter of course, the cost to my soul for not doing this would be eternal.
I need to hold his hand, to love him now as much as he needs, and to travel as much of this path with him that can possibly happen.
To summarize in one sentence how important this is, let me comfortably say that the things you may appreciate or respect about me were certainly nurtured and reinforced by Rory.
Thank you for all of your kind thoughts, prayers vibes and energies sent our way
Love, John
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