The Experience Auto Group gives 11-year-old race fan with leukemia a dream ride

A dying wish recently came true for Caleb Hammond, an 11-year-old Oskaloosa boy who has terminal leukemia.

The Experience Auto Group gives 11-year-old race fan with leukemia a dream ride

Ferrari-Maserati of Fort Lauderdale, an Experience Auto Group company partnered with Iowa Speedway this past Wednesday, August 29, 2018 to give an 11-year old the ultimate last chance of his short-lived lifetime. The dealership caught wind of an article recently about Caleb Hammond, a boy who has been living with cancer since 2017 and recently was told the treatment has stopped working, who’s been a racing fan since he was 2 years old and who’s last request was to ask for racing stickers for his casket. Taking it to the next level, Garrett Hayim, Ferrari-Maserati of Fort Lauderdale owner/president—who’s own father has experienced near-death bouts with cancer, and who now has children of his own, decided to take it a step further, offering to ship the dealership’s race hauler and race car to Iowa to give Caleb the surprise and chance of a lifetime.

On August 29, Caleb was surrounded by friends, family, and supporters at Iowa Speedway for the unveiling of the Ferrari-Maserati of Fort Lauderdale experience, where the sweet, strong-spirited 11-year-old received the ultimate royal racing treatment, having the opportunity to tour the facility and have some lap time in the dealership’s Ferrari 488 Challenge car.

HERO CARD FOR CALEB HAMMOND

Chris Playle, Caleb’s uncle, said his nephew has been suffering from symptoms of heart failure after the cancer treatment left him in a medically-induced coma. There were options to continue treatment, but the family decided against them to allow Caleb a chance to enjoy things outside of being hospitalized. Given a final of diagnosis of approximately three more weeks to live, the family has since worked to collect racing stickers for Caleb’s casket, just as he asked.