Sunday, October 11, 2009

Get Better Chad

Translated from Ciclonews...
Dear Director,
as I have done with the site www.tuttobiciweb.it please publish this letter because the story Gerlach is close to my heart since I have not been asked before you put online news so delicate, I would now explain some important moments of relapse of Chad Gerlach.
First the news that you have posted is incomplete, not because of you but of Gazzetta.it which in my opinion deliberately omitted the entire section on the position of our team and myself in this sad story (which at present is that cyclingnews.com the Sacramento Bee, U.S. newspaper where the news was taken).
I would like therefore to explain everything because I know I'm doing everything in my power to help Chad. It all started in early September when he should have been a regular at the start with our team Univest Grand Prix in Pennsylvania. However, just three days before our departure I received a e-mail in which he asked me to stay home because his first daughter was born soon after. Since my time father of a child of two and a half, I went in his shoes and I've no intention to force him to run, so I told him that I disagreed with his own family.
I could never imagine that I was already lying and now I no longer even since. At that moment because Chad had already left home, had already left his girlfriend about to give birth and have lived under a bridge.
I have always believed that everything was fine because I was sending constant e-mails in which even asked me to extend my contract for next year because it had also received proposals from other teams not only attractive American (something which I was very proud of it) . Again, everything went according to our programs and he would have had to run to Las Vegas in the U.S. Final Crit (race spectacular that closes the show each year Interbike). About ten days before this race I try to call him repeatedly to tell the program but the phone was constantly switched off. Then I try with the mail, addressed to both him and his girlfriend, sends the ticket to Las Vegas, hotel and car vouchers, pay the registration, in fact I do everything I've always done the normal administration . Even in this case, however, no one answered. Trial and error like a madman, asking him to contact me.
Especially the fact that even his girlfriend did not answer puzzles me. My concern to be honest was not addressed to Chad, because I never believed such a thing because I repeat never gave us signals, even small, of a relapse. I was worried because I was afraid that something bad had happened to the child at that time was already due to be born.
Eventually, when most did not know what to think, I get (in the very same day that should have been at the start of the criterium) a phone call from our ds Gaggioli (which being his friend EC had proposed last October) and as I had done in four to help him and similarly in those days had done everything to find him, who tells me he received a short message on Facebook mate Chad from which we stated that Chad had abandoned them, was again depressed and relapsed into drugs and alcohol. At that moment, I collapsed the world on him.
You can not imagine. I immediately put in touch with the leaders of the television show Intervention last year Chad had taken off from the street and taken to a detoxification clinic to see if they were aware of what had happened but they were all in the dark . So I immediately put in telephone contact with his father and with the family. His sister and brother told me that Chad with his behavior has destroyed their family and they now no longer intend to do anything for him.
But his father, as you can imagine desperate, I said that Chad had lied to them all for months and none of them, although they had noticed his behavior was not the same anymore, he thought the situation had degenerated until after the day drunk had been stopped by police. After this incident Peter Gerlach, her father tried to convince him to return to the community, but after having initially accepted, only two days after he escaped and never returned home. Will not talk to anyone, even it is not even gone to witness the birth of his daughter and the only way to find it is to turn the streets of Sacramento. Aware of all this my father told me and Gaggioli to fly the United States to immediately return it to Italy, but not because we want to retrieve the athlete, cycling has nothing to do with this thing and when they hired a year ago we did so only to give him the chance to do the thing I loved most, because this would certainly away from certain temptations. Our goal was and still is to help the human being. Despite our insistence, but Gerlach's father thanked us but asked to remain for the time in Italy because Chad is in a psychological situation so critical that it could also make things serious.
At this moment needs psychiatric care and to return to the community to clean up. Our position at this moment is to help in any way Chad, with all our might. Are in daily contact with his father, the only one that still manages to communicate with him, which I shall regularly monitor his condition. Again, I have spent entirely at the disposal of Gerlach family for any kind of help you may need to save Chad and I am ready anytime to go to Sacramento.
I respect the decision of Peter Gerlach and will be asked until I'll stay in Italy, inter alia, by the news he gave me seems to have voluntarily decided to return to this community and for the moment is the most important victory. After that, I and Gaggioli fly in any case in America and try to bring back to Italy. I know he wants to go racing again next year but now is not important, we just want it back here, do it live in our retreat with the other kids, making him stay away from anything that is permanently destroyed, making him work with us regardless of the tasks and giving all our moral and psychological support. Just as we have done until June, when all was well. However to do this we need a sign of his good will would not think it will be easy to recover this time.
Dear Editor, if I have not spoken to the press first the situation in Chad Gerlach was solely to protect it. This is not about cycling, this is a man fighting for his life and that is in a psychological situation so delicate that it could degenerate at any one time. Chad is a very sensitive person, perhaps the most sensitive I've ever known, is fragile, very intelligent, and despite the situation in which it is informed. He did not even want to talk to reporters of his city much less with the TV people who saved his life, so what would think if I went out with a press release that he was concerned? We do not know how he could react, to be honest do not even know at this time.
Like all those who are in these situations, could also make something silly, so why worsen a situation that in itself is already desperate? And if I decided to respond right now is because the Sacramento Bee published an article which you have published a part. Chad understands well enough the Italian and continuously monitor all sites including ciclonews.it cycling, so I hope you read this letter understand even more that we all, including his teammates, the neighbors and we are ready for anything help in every way.
Strength not to give up Chad!
We thank you for your cooperation and I offer cordial greetings to you and all the editors ciclonews.it the signs of my highest consideration. Cristian Fanini
PS -- We join the call by Cristian Fanini confident second miracle. If we see Chad, strength, not give up now that the Gpm tree More than uro of life is near. All you expect in Italy to continue to help. Do not throw away your life!

No comments:

Post a Comment