Huntington Beach : Fellow Ex-Marine Gives Amputee Another Car

Donald L. Shaw finally got some wheels Friday. While it wasn’t his 1976 AMC Hornet, stolen from near the 78-year-old amputee’s Huntington Beach home earlier this week, he’s not complaining.

“It’s a ’79 Ford LTD,” he said. “They called me last night and I went out there this morning to check it out. They’re cleaning it up and getting it ready for me now.”

The retired Marine Corps sergeant, whose right leg was amputated due to complications of his diabetes, picked up the car Friday afternoon as a gift from Mike McKenna, a local Volkswagen dealer who heard of Shaw’s plight.

The auto dealer said his own stint in the Marine Corps cinched the deal. “Always did have a weak spot for an ex-Marine,” he said.

Shaw, who can drive but usually leaves that chore to his aide, said the old car was his only way to get around and he couldn’t afford to buy a replacement.

The car was stolen from a parking lot at Olive Avenue and Main Street while Shaw’s aide was doing some banking errands. Detective Jerry Webb said the car was probably hot-wired and taken for a joyride.

“Somebody took it for transportation,” he said. “It’ll probably show up in seven to 10 days.” In which case, Shaw will have two cars but McKenna said that’s OK. Shaw’s old Hornet “needed an engine anyway so I told him if he gets it back, he might as well sell it,” McKenna said.