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Special Motorsports Event - Young Shooting Victim Enjoys Day At The Races


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TORONTO, Jul. 13, 2012: Amid all the colors, crowds and noise of last weekend’s Honda Indy Toronto at Exhibition Place, a bit of a miracle took place in Team GDT’s paddock in the Direct Energy Centre Sunday morning.

That miracle was the big smile on the face of one of the victims of the Eaton Centre mall shooting when he sat in one of the Dallas-based team’s three race cars that compete in the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear.

The 13-year-old boy was an innocent bystander when he was caught in crossfire and shot in the head during an alleged gang shooting in the Toronto mall’s food court June 2. Five others were also injured and two people died.

Despite the tragedy, a little more than a month later the teen, his sister and his father were able to accept an invitation from Team GDT’s owner, J.W. Roberts of Dallas, to be his guest at the races. Roberts, who is also the chief executive officer of General Datatech (GDT), a data communications equipment provider, is acquainted with the young man’s father through a business relationship, and he wanted to try to do something to help brighten the family’s summer.

By the looks of the 13-year-old’s smile, he was successful.

The youth, whose name is not being made public prior to jury selection for the alleged gunman’s murder trial, sat in the cockpit of a Star Mazda car driven by Corey Lewis of Nazareth, Pa. The family then visited with Lewis and his two teammates: Andrés Méndez of Bogotá, Colombia and Ryan Tveter of Oyster Bay, N.Y.

The teen was in critical condition before his life was saved through the quick thinking of his older sister, who was with him at the mall; rescue workers and neurosurgery. He faces additional surgery later this summer.

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