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There is an amazing quote on his blog (motocancer.blogspot.com) from one of
his many friends and I wanted to share it:
"Perhaps they are not stars in the sky, but rather openings where our loved
ones shine down to let us know they are happy."
Shine on, Andre.
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Last Updated: Jul 30, 2009 - 6:41:59 PM
Deaths • July 31, 2009
By
Jul 30, 2009 - 6:39:32 PM
 |
A longtime resident of Dallas who was living in Seattle and Vancouver, Espaillat was a motorcycle enthusiast, racer and teacher. Known as the “2 Wheel Tiger,” he wrote extensively about his illness at motocancer.blogspot.com, and inspired thousands with his courage, insight and humor.
Espaillat was a member of several Dallas organizations, including the Texas Sports Bike Association, the North Texas Sports Bike Association, the Spectrum Motorcycle Club, CMRA, RPM/WERA and the Dragonflies.
He is survived by his husband, Ed Fortuno III, of Vancouver, B.C.; and his mother, Anita-Louise, brother Rick, brother-in-law Gary, sister Trina and niece Alex, all of Dallas.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the International Myeloma Foundation (myeloma.org), the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (leukemia-lymphoma.org) or the American Cancer Society (cancer.org).
A celebration of his life with his Dallas family and friends will be held at a private residence on Aug. 8. For more information, e-mail
esfortuno3rd@gmail.com.
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This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition July 31, 2009.
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The following comments were posted by readers and were not edited by Dallas Voice. When you comment, stay on topic and treat others with respect. Posts deemed offensive will be removed.
GaryK
Jul 31, 2009 at 09:22
Jul 31, 2009 at 09:22
chris mckee
Jul 31, 2009 at 11:10
Jul 31, 2009 at 11:10
I dont know this man - but ran across his story, looked at his blogs, and
wow - such dedication, support, love, and compassion during his illness -
his partner trying to be so strong but secretly hurting just as much, it
all got to me today - I admit i teared up readind some of the final entries
leading up to his death, very moving, and oddly inspiring. I could only
hope to have that kind of support and love from a man one day.
Bob Dickey
Jul 31, 2009 at 13:10
Jul 31, 2009 at 13:10
I had the distinct pleasure of racing Andre for a number of years in CMRA.
Over the years I got to know him and the rest of his team, Out-and-Out
Racing. My admiration for his skills, off and on the track grew each
season.
We have lost a wonderful person and God has recalled yet another to His fold.
Thank you, Andre, for your friendship and your knowledge so bountifully shared.
We have lost a wonderful person and God has recalled yet another to His fold.
Thank you, Andre, for your friendship and your knowledge so bountifully shared.
Wade Bartlett
Jul 31, 2009 at 16:17
Jul 31, 2009 at 16:17
I followed Andre's lead and advice in modifications to my EX500 racebike
years ago. Through those experiences, we got acquainted enough for me to
sign on as a rider for the EX500-team at the 24-hour WERA race at Willow
Springs back in 1999, which he oversaw. Andre was always a steady voice of
reason, witty and intelligent, open and honest. I will remember him for the
rest of my life, and I miss him already. The world is a grayer place
without Andre in it. Godspeed, my friend.
Jeff
Jul 31, 2009 at 17:36
Jul 31, 2009 at 17:36
Andre was a great person and a good friend. He was one of the first
motorcyclists I came across who was also gay. And man could he tear up the
roads...put a lot of pro riders to shame. You'll be missed my friend.
Irwin Arnstein
Aug 03, 2009 at 02:35
Aug 03, 2009 at 02:35
Andre was a friend of mine and I had a few emails with him only a few weeks
ago. He had a small motorcycle shop which I patronized in Carrolton, and
we used him for printer repair when he was in that trade at my business.
He was an excellent rider, good mechanic, good advisor, and good friend.
When I did motorcycle road race photography he would sometimes drop in to
spectate when he wasn't racing. We are poorer for his loss. Godspeed.
Chuck Mccoy
Aug 06, 2009 at 23:12
Aug 06, 2009 at 23:12
Andre took me under his wing when I was a brand new racer. It's really
lucky that I had bought an EX500 and that somebody told Andre about it. He
had pretty much quit racing by that time, but not totally. As it turns
out, he insisted I buy the beloved "EX from Heck" that he had created and
campaigned to some success. What a machine. I really didn't know anything
useful about how motorcycles worked or how to ride them until I got that
machine. There were a few years of pleasure knowing Andre before he left
town. I could tell several fun & funnie stories, but maybe just 2 or 3 is
better.
Early, before I had the EX from Heck, he convinced me to go down south of Houston to run practice at this foolish old blimp base. Jeez, wasn't really a death-trap, damn thing was way too tight to go very fast. It was an incredible injury trap, though. Like 20 of us had been told to bring shovels & brooms. Never before & never again will I get on a track with that much dust & dirt. Anyway, after we'd been sweeping it for an hour or so Andre says to my son Bentley, probably a 7th grader at the time, "Come on, let's test it." I didn't think anything of it.
Moments later we all looked up at the sound of screeching tires to see Andre's Ford Explorer coming through a hairpin curve, wheels and parts of the body pointing in every direction it seemed. As I remember the scene it wasn't at all clear exactly which direction it was sliding, or where it was about to go. It WAS clear that Bentley didn't even have on a seatbelt. This was clear because his whole body looked thrown up onto the dash board, with his face pressed against the windshield. Both arms and legs were flailing, obviously searching for something solid to brace against.
It didn't roll, and Bentley thought it was fun. Glad he was fine, his help made getting truck and restrooms with a broken knee easier on the drive home to Dallas.
As Andre coached me through learning to ride a real race machine he'd always tell me, "If it's not squirming around under you, you aren't going fast enough!" The EX from Heck was absoutely are real race machine and I got to where I made it squirm enough that even racers I could never catch gave me pats on the back.
In what was probably Andre's last race, I know he wasn't riding the EX from Heck, surely wasn't his RC51, but I don't really remember the machine. anyway, I think it was RPM at Hallett Racing Circuit and Andre may have been in the season points chase. But he had crashed earlier, hard enough that his right arm & hand were noticeably worse for the wear. When his next race was up we'd gotten the bike repaired enough to go to the starting grid and he had gotten suited-up. But he couldn't raise his right arm under his own power enough to grip the handlebar and the throttle. He could, however, get his right hand on the twist grip by lifting it with his left hand.
The problem for him was that he couldn't get me, or anybody else in the pits, to duct tape his hand on the throttle so he could go out and race.
Today Bentley is away in the Navy. When I told him about Andre passing his instant comment speaks to all about the kind of man Andre was. Ben said, "After that road trip I took with him I understood for the first time how to respect somebody that was very different from me."
I'm glad I knew Andre. I'm glad my son knew Andre.
There is way more than a pit wall that separates the competitor from the spectator. Race on Andre. Amen.
Chuck McCoy
Dallas, Texas
CMRA 659
Early, before I had the EX from Heck, he convinced me to go down south of Houston to run practice at this foolish old blimp base. Jeez, wasn't really a death-trap, damn thing was way too tight to go very fast. It was an incredible injury trap, though. Like 20 of us had been told to bring shovels & brooms. Never before & never again will I get on a track with that much dust & dirt. Anyway, after we'd been sweeping it for an hour or so Andre says to my son Bentley, probably a 7th grader at the time, "Come on, let's test it." I didn't think anything of it.
Moments later we all looked up at the sound of screeching tires to see Andre's Ford Explorer coming through a hairpin curve, wheels and parts of the body pointing in every direction it seemed. As I remember the scene it wasn't at all clear exactly which direction it was sliding, or where it was about to go. It WAS clear that Bentley didn't even have on a seatbelt. This was clear because his whole body looked thrown up onto the dash board, with his face pressed against the windshield. Both arms and legs were flailing, obviously searching for something solid to brace against.
It didn't roll, and Bentley thought it was fun. Glad he was fine, his help made getting truck and restrooms with a broken knee easier on the drive home to Dallas.
As Andre coached me through learning to ride a real race machine he'd always tell me, "If it's not squirming around under you, you aren't going fast enough!" The EX from Heck was absoutely are real race machine and I got to where I made it squirm enough that even racers I could never catch gave me pats on the back.
In what was probably Andre's last race, I know he wasn't riding the EX from Heck, surely wasn't his RC51, but I don't really remember the machine. anyway, I think it was RPM at Hallett Racing Circuit and Andre may have been in the season points chase. But he had crashed earlier, hard enough that his right arm & hand were noticeably worse for the wear. When his next race was up we'd gotten the bike repaired enough to go to the starting grid and he had gotten suited-up. But he couldn't raise his right arm under his own power enough to grip the handlebar and the throttle. He could, however, get his right hand on the twist grip by lifting it with his left hand.
The problem for him was that he couldn't get me, or anybody else in the pits, to duct tape his hand on the throttle so he could go out and race.
Today Bentley is away in the Navy. When I told him about Andre passing his instant comment speaks to all about the kind of man Andre was. Ben said, "After that road trip I took with him I understood for the first time how to respect somebody that was very different from me."
I'm glad I knew Andre. I'm glad my son knew Andre.
There is way more than a pit wall that separates the competitor from the spectator. Race on Andre. Amen.
Chuck McCoy
Dallas, Texas
CMRA 659
Ed Fortuno III
Aug 18, 2009 at 02:06
Aug 18, 2009 at 02:06
Thank you all for the memories you wrote about my husband. I appreciate
them more than you'll ever know. My email address is available above.
Feel free to send me a note or two.
With love,
Ed
P.S. To Chuck - give my regards to Bentley. Andre had always thought of him as a great kid. I also just found out that the EX is still racing with the CMRA.
With love,
Ed
P.S. To Chuck - give my regards to Bentley. Andre had always thought of him as a great kid. I also just found out that the EX is still racing with the CMRA.
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