My 80 year old father was taken for a ride, but not in his 57 Chevy.

By: Russ Ray Rollins

WTKS - Orlando - Real Radio 104.1

Jan. 16, 2019 - 12:42 PM

On January 18, 2019 my father will be 80 years old. Let me tell you about my father. He is the man that raised me and told me, constantly, "Russ Rollins, you can do anything you put your mind too."  I believed him and it's served me well in life. My father didn't only tell me that, he told that to every friend of mine that lived at our home. Many of them did live with us. I could list the names.... Bo, Tony, Mark, Dap, Jimmy, Ernie, Scott, Tracy and many other guys my age. Most of them still call my father, "Dad."

I remember watching my dad take one of the guys on the wresting team out into a lake, teaching him to swim. My good friend and wrestling team mate, Charles Haynes,  lived in Eatonville right behind our house. He had never learned to swim. My dad taught him and my buddy Jimmy Richardson how to swim. He taught them both on a camping trip that dad put together for out entire wrestling team. More than half the wrestling team lived in Eatonville. Most of the guys had never been camping. Most of them didn't have a father that they knew. My dad treated all the guys like one his own. Most of those guys still call him "Dad."

I remember going on a ride in our Banner Motor home one Christmas. We went to the local Walmart and my dad bought dozens of footballs, baseballs, and various toys. He put them in a big sack and we drove to my friends neighborhood in Catalina Park, part of Eatonville. My dad parked the Motor home, put on a Santa costume and started going house to house to deliver gifts to my friends. In 1978, for a white man to be walking around dressed like Santa - in Eatonville- was unheard of! Not only did the guys love it, not only did the other kids in the neighborhood love it, I will never forget what I heard that night. I heard a kid that was older than us yelling "who dat white man comin up in here?" It was Russell MacClain, a big dude that most everyone was frightened of, especially me. After MacClain said that, at least 6 other dudes started yelling "No man, that's Mr. Rollins, he cool, he cool, leave him be!!" I will never forget how proud I was of my father.

Less than a year a go, a friend of mine from Edgewater High school was down on his luck. For many different reason he had become some what of a hermit. Staying in his house, not talking to anyone. My dad found out about it and reached out to him. Not only did my father help this guy get out of the house and feel better, he did one thing that is even more incredible. My old friend had lost several teeth. He couldn't afford to go to the dentist. My father took him to a dentist and bought him an ENTIRE new mouth full of teeth. My dad paid for it all. It has changed this guys life.

That is just a few of the great things my dad has done for OTHERS in his life. NOT to mention all he's done for Bo, my sister Karla and me. I could go on and on..... but I think you get the point.

Fast forward to the story I've included on this page from Todd Ulrich and WFTV channel 9. The true story of a man who has taken MANY peoples classic cars and will not pay them. This guy and his business not only ripped off dozens of other people, he ripped off MY FATHER. A guy who has done so much good, fought for our country as a U.S. Marine and his given me so much in my life. He sold my fathers 57 Chevy to someone in California and will not pay my him. 

I'm so very lucky that my good friend and attorney Jeff Kaufman is working on this case. Mr. Kaufman tells me, unless the Orange county State Attorney presses charges, this guy may get away with this. 

I ask you, can you do an old man a favor? Can you call the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit Orange & Osceola County, Aramis D. Aylala and ask her why she can't prosecute a man who has ripped off so many people? 407-836-2400 is the PUBLIC number that any of us can call. 

It's my dads 80th birthday, this would be a great gift to him and many other people that have lost their classic cars.

Here is the car that once belonged to my father.

My father is out more than $100,000.00 with the loss of his classic 57 Chevy. Many other good people, most of them elderly, are without their car and without being paid as well.

If you want to see the business and the name of the guy that is doing this..... watch Todd Ulrich's report on this page.

Can you call the State Attorney, Aramis D. Aylala and ask her why she can't prosecute a man who has ripped off so many people? 407-836-2400 

This is a PUBLIC number that any of us can call. 

It's my dads 80th birthday, this would be a great gift to him and many other people that have lost their classic cars.

RRR