We wanted to write this note to the "Rally Circuit" to personally thank you all for all the love and support you have shown our family over the past three weeks. Your words of deep-felt sympathy and stories about Carl have been comforting, heart-warming, and sometimes quite humorous. We knew Carl loved to race, but, quite honestly, we have been blown away by the number of cards, flowers and donations made to the Carl Merrill Children's Foundation by the rally community.

Carl's love and passion for rally racing was beyond words. Even though he hated like hell to lose to any of you, the relationships and camaraderie he had with you were more important than winning (even though he would have never admitted to that). This has been very apparent in reading some of the letters and cards that you all have written over the past couple of weeks.

A very special thanks to those who administered to Carl in Prescott. By doing so, you made it possible for me to spend precious time with him before he left us for good. I appreciated the personal notes describing the play by play of events that Friday. Trying to understand any of this has been impossible and real difficult for all of us, but know that we will all get through this in time. Each one of us will have our own special Carl Merrill story; we encourage you to share them with each other, not only today, or in the next few weeks, but for the rest of our lives.

Thanks to those who attended the sunrise service in Ogunquit, though Carl would have been laughing at all of us standing out in the pouring rain. I was nice to have you there; it meant a lot to us.

So, to all of you....drive fast; don't speed between stages; tease each other unmercifully; and have as much fun at life as Carl did.

Love,
Barbara Merrill