Over the past week or so, I must have received a dozen or more e-mails just like this one from Disney Defender:
Photo by Jeff Lange
Jim,
Have you heard about the revamped version of Spaceship Earth that just soft-opened at Epcot? The Imagineers have absolutely ruined this classic Future World attraction. Talk about your tragedies.
Dear Disney Defender,
Soft-opening this not-officially-completed-yet revamp of Spaceship Earth last weekend (Which — by the way — was only done because Epcot seriously needed the additional hourly ride capacity that SE provides in order to be able to handle the huge crowds that typically visit this WDW theme park over the holiday season) may not have been Mickey’s smartest move. But it is hardly what I would call a tragedy.
Photo by Jeff Lange
Whereas what happened just last month to Phil Harwick of Bayboro, NC … That was a real tragedy.
Let me fill you in the pertinent details. Phil was a good man. A hard-working member of the SailCraft Service team at Oriental Harbor. Where Harwick put in lots of extra hours just so that his wife, Elizabeth, then could be a stay-at-home Mom and watch over their two young daughters. Who were both born with plenty of health problems.
Anyway … Phil & Elizabeth did not live particularly extravagant lives. But whatever extra money these two had, they spent on their girls. Which is why the Harwicks were really looking forward to the holidays this year. Given that these two had decided that they were going to treat the 3-year-old and the 5-year-old to a Christmas trip to Disney World.
The reservations had been made. The plans had all been set. But then — just two days before Thanksgiving — Phil was riding his motorcycle to work. And there was a light fog that morning. Which is why the investigators think that 17-year-old didn’t see Harwick as she was pulling out of her driveway.
Photo by Jeff Lange
These sorts of things … They’re tough any time of year. But to lose one’s husband just as the holidays are getting underway, to be left alone with two small kids at a time when we traditionally celebrate home & family … That’s an enormous burden to bear.
A weaker person might have buckled under this load. But not Elizabeth Harwick. She had to be strong for her daughters. Which is why — in order to honor her husband’s holiday wishes — these three will be heading down to Orlando later this week to spend Christmas at Walt Disney World.
Now I know — when it comes to Christmas and the Disney theme parks — that there is always a lot of talk about wishes & magic. I also know that there are an awful lot of WDW cast members who regularly read JHM.
Which is why I have a favor to ask: The Harwick family could really use some magic right about now. They’re facing their first-ever Christmas without Phil and have chosen to go to Disney World this week in order to escape the sad times … if only for a little while.
Photo by Jeff Lange
So is there anything that can be done to make the Harwick’s trip to WDW seem a bit more magical? If so … As Mickey says, I’m all ears. Please drop me a note here at JHM with the appropriate information. And I’ll put those-in-the-know in touch with the friends of the Harwick family who first made me aware of Phil’s passing.
Let me say upfront: I don’t know Elizabeth Harwick. I’ve never met her late husband and/or their two kids. I was just spurred to write today’s story because … Well, because I got a nice e-mail from Molly S. She’s a JHM readers who’s friendly with the Harwick family that hoped that I might be able to do something. Maybe noodge the folks at Walt Disney World into doing something extra for Elizabeth and the girls.
Which I was perfectly happy to do. But then I thought: “That’s not nearly enough. What happens to these three after they get home from Orlando?”
Well, as it turns out, a memorial fund has been set up for Phil Harwick. So those who wish to donate to his survivors via PayPal can do so by dropping by https://www.paypal.com and donating to this address: elizabeth.harwick@gmail.com.
Photo by Jeff Lange
But as an extra-added incentive to get JHM readers to kick in some cash, I was thinking: A number of the stories that I posted here about “Ratatouille” over the past year have really angered Pixar fans. So I was wondering if it might now be possible to turn all that negativity into something positive?
So how about this: I have a pile of old English composition books here on my desk. And for every dollar that JHM readers donate to the Phil Harwick memorial fund — either through the PayPal address listed above and/or the physical address listed below:
Sailcraft Service
Phil Harwick Fund
PO Box 99
Oriental, NC 28571
… I will then handwrite “I was wrong about ‘Ratatouille’ ” in one of those books.
Photo by Jeff Lange
So if JHM readers donate $500, I’ll handwrite “I was wrong about ‘Ratatouille’ ” 500 times. If JHM readers donate $5,000 to the Phil Harwick memorial fund, I’ll then handwrite “I was wrong about ‘Ratatouille’ ” 5000 times. If JHM readers wind up donating $50,000 … Well, I’m figuring that I’ll end up with some sort of repetitive stress injury. Either that or my hand will fall off.
This deal applies to all donations that are made to the Phil Harwick memorial fund between now and January 30, 2008 that mention this article and/or JimHillMedia. And once I’ve finished handwriting all of those “I was wrong about ‘Ratatouille’ “s, these English composition books will then be mailed off to Brad Bird. Who can do with them what he will.
So if you’d like to help out a really deserving family and/or get even with me for all those Pixar-related stories that you never liked, now’s your chance.
Can I count on you guys to help out here?
Photo by Jeff Lange
Special thanks to Jeff Lange providing the holiday images used to illustrate today’s article. FYI: You’ll find many amazing Disney-World-at-the-holidays photos just like this on his newest DVDs, “Jeff Lange’s Holiday Treat ’07” and “Jeff Lange Remembers Holiday Classics.”