From the Chicago Dispatcher
June 2009

Big John Had A Heart of Gold

I was very saddened to hear of the recent death of my long time friend and cab driver, John Young, also known as "Big John." I have known John Young over 20 years. He really did have a heart of gold. John had a stroke while driving and hit a pole, suffered multiple injuries including a ruptured spleen, and had to be excised from the cab whereupon he died a week later in the hospital. He is survived by four children Lucille, Jack, Krystal and Jason and his very close cousin, Mr. Jack Petitt who was like a brother to Big John.

Big John has been driving over 30 years, and is known to many, many, drivers. John drove for just about everybody at one time or another. I had talked to John about a week ago, he had pneumonia and was still driving, all the while awaiting a triple bypass. From what I understand from Jack Petitt, John had a stroke while driving in the vicinity of Montrose and Laramie....not too far from where he last lived. I don't know if there was a passenger or not, all I know it was a pretty bad accident as his spleen was ruptured and they had to cut him out of the car........He was first taken to Illinois Masonic, probably the nearest major trauma center. Because it was a car accident, he now rests with the county coroner.

Mr. Petitt is trying to raise funds for a simple cremation. His phone number is (773) 703-0054. If just 50 guys pitched in 10 or 20 bucks, that would probably cover the costs. ANY help anyone can provide towards services is deeply appreciated.

It's so very odd.......a few years ago, John Young, myself, and Bill Weinberg took a trip to Las Vegas together. The plane almost didn't land at O'Hare because of the weather being so bad. Bill Weinberg was murdered in a Dart cab in Rogers Park not too much later......and now this.

Unfortunately, like so many drivers in their late 50's or 60's or even older (those that did not win medallions), they, for the most part, have nothing.

The cab is all there was for many. I wish John had stayed at Flash, as they have a death fund (or used to) of a couple of thousand.

The cab life for the driver-driver - by that I mean the guy that never won or had a chance to get a medallion - is pretty lonely and tough. I've had every imaginable experience myself. But forgotten, no driver should be, especially no long term decent guy.

He had "buddies" all over....one ex-driver named Ernie Schell (sp) in Las Vegas, Ira, who drives for Flash and always parks at Jefferson Park late evenings, "Ross", a gambling friend, and many, many others. For years John Young had a partner named Phil (I cannot recall his last name, but it was Hispanic I think) .....They drove cab 2219 together, a Flash cab for quite some time. They were like brothers, I am SURE this guy Phil would want to know and help.

Somebody at Flash should know how to find him, probably “JR.” A really good contact might be Jack Nichols at Flash Cab. Jack knows everybody....he'd surely know Phil and some of the other people or could at least provide leads. Emmet Timerick was also a friend of John's - last I knew he worked out of Elston Ave at what WAS American United and then became Dispatch Cab........a lot of guys over there knew him.
Someone ought to think about starting a death fund for drivers (I know Flash used to have one, at first I think it was involuntary, then later up to you if you wanted to throw in $5.00 or so) who have nothing .......I don't know how one would facilitate that....maybe through your paper or through Consumer Services, but there ought be something.

Let's hope some guys see this and help out a little, and if nothing else, a little remembrance would be nice.......he deserved, we all deserve, at least that much.

- Michael Miles

(I stopped driving about 4 years ago and am in Reno, NV now, but still keep in touch with your paper.)