Todd Welling Article
12-19-2005, 01:35 PM
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Todd Welling Article
Powerboat driver won't let accident get him down
Sunday, December 18, 2005
By Steve Kaminski
The Grand Rapids Press
Todd Welling's passion is racing, and it doesn't matter if he's tearing across the waves in his powerboat at more than 100 miles per hour or inching along a baby step at a time in a walker.
The Holland native was recovering in a California hospital earlier this year from a series of life-threatening conditions, all triggered by a broken femur suffered in a home improvement project. Welling was learning how to walk all over again when he spotted an elderly patient, also using a walker.
Suddenly, Welling's competitive spirit kicked in once again.
"He must have been in his 80s, and I said to my mom, 'Look, I think I can take him,' " said Welling, who resides in San Carlos, Calif. "My mom said, 'No, I think he is getting better.' "
Welling, 44, laughed when recalling the incident. he is alive today because of his competitive drive, sense of humor and the support of his family.
Welling has been racing powerboats for the past 15 years, and the team owner and throttleman on the No. 8 Spiderman offshore team has won a slew of world and national championships.
But Welling's biggest fight wasn't waged on the waves. Welling was working on scaffolding in early March when he slipped and fell onto a concrete slab. He broke his femur and had a metal rod placed in his leg, extending from his hip to knee.
All seemed well until the West Ottawa graduate returned to the hospital days later for a checkup. Doctors discovered that his body was shutting down. Welling needed emergency surgery to have his gallbladder removed, and he later lost his thyroid, adrenal glands and one kidney. Welling's health continued to deteriorate -- blood clots were found in his lungs.
Welling spent five weeks in the hospital fighting for his life, but the fact that he is planning on racing again next season should illustrate just how far he has come.
"My doctor said, 'Thank God you are a fighter,' " Welling said. "It's nice to have a second chance at life. Not too many people get one. I was fortunate to get one, and I will try to make the most out of it.
"I've learned a lot about people who are less fortunate. You have a different outlook on people who are not as fortunate; the person every day who can't open the door and can't get his walker through. There were weeks where I couldn't get a foot over a six-inch curb."
Welling's parents, Arlene and Earl Welling reside in Holland.
"We almost lost him," Earl said. "His mother went out to California and spent a month with him helping him recover."
The Spiderman team raced on this year and helped carry on its winning tradition. Welling hired Ken Bowen of Coto De Gaza, Calif., and Scot Conrad of Newport Beach, Calif., to pilot his 40-foot Skater in the Offshore Super Series. The two powered Spiderman to victory in the recent St. Petersburg World Championships.
But Welling is bored of sitting on the beach and watching the boats race by.
"I'm looking forward to coming back next year," Welling said. "We are having a brand new 38-foot Katarmaran built for us by Skater Powerboats and Douglas Marine in Douglas, and I'm ready to get back at it. I helped out as much as possible this year, but I'm looking forward to racing."
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Sunday, December 18, 2005
By Steve Kaminski
The Grand Rapids Press
Todd Welling's passion is racing, and it doesn't matter if he's tearing across the waves in his powerboat at more than 100 miles per hour or inching along a baby step at a time in a walker.
The Holland native was recovering in a California hospital earlier this year from a series of life-threatening conditions, all triggered by a broken femur suffered in a home improvement project. Welling was learning how to walk all over again when he spotted an elderly patient, also using a walker.
Suddenly, Welling's competitive spirit kicked in once again.
"He must have been in his 80s, and I said to my mom, 'Look, I think I can take him,' " said Welling, who resides in San Carlos, Calif. "My mom said, 'No, I think he is getting better.' "
Welling, 44, laughed when recalling the incident. he is alive today because of his competitive drive, sense of humor and the support of his family.
Welling has been racing powerboats for the past 15 years, and the team owner and throttleman on the No. 8 Spiderman offshore team has won a slew of world and national championships.
But Welling's biggest fight wasn't waged on the waves. Welling was working on scaffolding in early March when he slipped and fell onto a concrete slab. He broke his femur and had a metal rod placed in his leg, extending from his hip to knee.
All seemed well until the West Ottawa graduate returned to the hospital days later for a checkup. Doctors discovered that his body was shutting down. Welling needed emergency surgery to have his gallbladder removed, and he later lost his thyroid, adrenal glands and one kidney. Welling's health continued to deteriorate -- blood clots were found in his lungs.
Welling spent five weeks in the hospital fighting for his life, but the fact that he is planning on racing again next season should illustrate just how far he has come.
"My doctor said, 'Thank God you are a fighter,' " Welling said. "It's nice to have a second chance at life. Not too many people get one. I was fortunate to get one, and I will try to make the most out of it.
"I've learned a lot about people who are less fortunate. You have a different outlook on people who are not as fortunate; the person every day who can't open the door and can't get his walker through. There were weeks where I couldn't get a foot over a six-inch curb."
Welling's parents, Arlene and Earl Welling reside in Holland.
"We almost lost him," Earl said. "His mother went out to California and spent a month with him helping him recover."
The Spiderman team raced on this year and helped carry on its winning tradition. Welling hired Ken Bowen of Coto De Gaza, Calif., and Scot Conrad of Newport Beach, Calif., to pilot his 40-foot Skater in the Offshore Super Series. The two powered Spiderman to victory in the recent St. Petersburg World Championships.
But Welling is bored of sitting on the beach and watching the boats race by.
"I'm looking forward to coming back next year," Welling said. "We are having a brand new 38-foot Katarmaran built for us by Skater Powerboats and Douglas Marine in Douglas, and I'm ready to get back at it. I helped out as much as possible this year, but I'm looking forward to racing."
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12-19-2005, 06:33 PM
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Re: Todd Welling Article
Great to hear Todd is felling better and getting ready to come back out to race....
It had to be hard to sit out last year..
Good luck in the new Skater....
It had to be hard to sit out last year..
Good luck in the new Skater....
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12-20-2005, 08:57 AM
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Re: Todd Welling Article
Very Cool Todd. Thumbs up to you.
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P4-13 Team THE JERSEY BOYZ OFFSHORE POWERBOAT RACING, OPA/ SBI/APBA/UIM. PRESIDENT: THE JERSEY BOYZ , VICE-PRESIDENT: OPA RACING, THE GREAT SOUTH BAY RACING ASSOCIATION. WAZZUP RACING ENGINES
P4-13 Team THE JERSEY BOYZ OFFSHORE POWERBOAT RACING, OPA/ SBI/APBA/UIM. PRESIDENT: THE JERSEY BOYZ , VICE-PRESIDENT: OPA RACING, THE GREAT SOUTH BAY RACING ASSOCIATION. WAZZUP RACING ENGINES
01-06-2006, 01:12 AM
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Re: Todd Welling Article
Todd is a great racer and I think it is great to see him getting back in the drivers seat. Im sure his new team will be one of the stongest teams in OSS Cat. He does well in setting up just about any boat he runs and did a great job with the skater v bottom. Although I am curious who writes these articles. I didnt know that Scot & I were HIRED by Todd. I've sat back and read article after article about Todd owning the boat etc. The fact is we bought the boat from Skater and kept the Spiderman name on it, ran it the entire season at our expense, won the national & world title and now the boat is for sale.
Ken Bowen
Adrenaline Racing
Ken Bowen
Adrenaline Racing
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