A renewed faith in the human race

By Marty Smith, Turner Sports Interactive
September 27, 2001
3:37 PM EDT (1937 GMT)

Commentary

Marty Smith

Oftentimes over the past few years I've pondered the true state of the human race, wondering where our society was headed with bitterness and utter hatred commanding the headlines.

In my mind, the days of walking next door to borrow a cup of sugar were long gone, replaced by isolated gated communities and metal detectors at school entrances.

A chance meeting with a fallen hero

In 24 short hours, my outlook was profoundly altered.

You see, this time last week I sat down at my keyboard with a heavy heart and a soul full of hope -- hope that the archaic written word on the warp-speed information superhighway might somehow help a young man achieve an improbable dream.

Seven days later, I return to the same keyboard with tears in my eyes and a renewed faith in the power of an unselfish human race.

On Sunday morning Matt Dahl, the 15-year old son of Jason Dahl, the heroic captain of United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed in a Pennsylvania field on Sept. 11 following a foiled terrorist attack, will meet his lifelong hero, Jeff Gordon.

During an intimate conversation between father and son a few weeks back, Dahl posed the question that if Matt were to die tomorrow, what his last wish would be.

Jason Dahl was the captain of United Airlines Flight 93 from Newark, N.J. to San Francisco that crashed in rural southwest Pennsylvania after being hijacked on Sept. 11.

It was to meet Gordon. Less than four days later, it was a done deal.

In the week since I wrote that very story, the outcry from fans and industry personalities alike has been truly mind-boggling. In fact, less than one day after my column posted, my phone rang off the hook with countless offers and my email overflowed with notes from folks that wanted to help in any way possible, several even offering up coveted suite passes in which Gordon was to appear.

Amazing.

Honestly, I wasn't even planning on going to Kansas City this weekend, but when I was informed that young Matt was to meet Gordon, it was a no-brainer. I broke down and cried. Given the opportunity, how could you not want to be part of such a heartwarming story? The Today Show does. Good Morning America, too.

I get to. For that, I am blessed and honored.

Personal items and photos of United Airlines captain Jason Dahl are displayed outside West Bowles Community Church in Littleton, Colo., before a memorial service for him.

I am honored to have had even a small hand in making Matt's dream a reality. I will be there, alongside Rob Quillen, the kind gentleman who took it upon himself to share Dahl's story with me and who made the realization of Matt's dream his primary short term goal. Goal accomplished.

This story is not about a frivolous NASCAR race. This story is about a humble and kind human race.

In his song "Back Where I Come From," country music superstar Kenny Chesney sums up my feelings about my country and my fellow man quite well:

Back where I come from
Where I'll be when it's said and done
I'm proud as anyone
That that's where I come from

That's where I come from
Where I'll be when it's said and done
I'm proud as anyone
That that's where I come from…

That's kind of how I feel right now. Matt Dahl's story, and the mammoth outcry from those hoping to lend a helping hand, makes me damn proud of back where I come from.

God Bless America, and God Bless you all.

Marty Smith's column appears every Thursday on NASCAR.com and the opinions listed here are solely those of the writer. Got a comment? Write to Marty at marty.smith@turner.com.