In the world of custom interiors and classic cars, community runs deep — and nowhere is that more evident than in Orillia, Ontario, where locals are coming together to support one of their own.
Rod Barkey, the talented craftsman behind Barkey Upholstery and a longtime member of the Back Alley Cruisers car club, is currently in a Toronto hospital recovering from two life-threatening surgeries. The well-known upholsterer, whose work has touched countless classic cars in the region, suffered a perforated esophagus last week, a rare and dangerous medical emergency that required him to be airlifted from Orillia to Toronto General Hospital for immediate surgery.
“He went into surgery almost immediately,” family friend Rev. Carmen Novosky told OrilliaMatters.com. “But that first one wasn’t enough… On Friday, we were told he needed a second operation. It was one of those ‘must be done or he won’t survive’ situations.”
Thankfully, Rod pulled through. He’s now out of the ICU and slowly improving, but still facing a long road to recovery.
A Beloved Figure in the Classic Car Scene
Rod is a staple of Ontario’s car community. From full interior builds to smaller trim jobs, he’s been the go-to guy for local hot rodders and restorers for years. If you’ve brought a classic to a cruise night in Orillia, chances are Rod had a hand in it.
“Almost everybody with a classic car around here has had some kind of assistance from Rod,” said Novosky. “He’s been at every car event, always helping people out. He’s a really good guy.”
That’s exactly why his sudden health crisis hit the community so hard.
Business Closed, Finances Tight
Rod and his wife Debbie Barkey run the upholstery shop together. With Rod unable to work and no backup income, the family has had to temporarily close the business.
“Our business is temporarily closed,” Debbie told OrilliaMatters. “Rod is the main upholsterer. Our daughter works with us part-time, but she also has her own job and family… We don’t know how long we’ll be closed.”
While Debbie juggles caring for Rod, commuting to Toronto, and managing their home, the family’s savings are quickly dwindling. The stress has been overwhelming.
“It’s been scary,” she said. “The shop is our main source of income. We’re trying to keep up with insurance payments, basic bills — but it’s hard.”
The Car Community Steps Up
In true hot rod fashion, Rod’s friends didn’t sit idle. The Back Alley Cruisers, along with others in the Orillia car scene, have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the Barkey family’s medical and living expenses.
The campaign page says: “Neither he or Debbie will have any income while he is in this medical condition and that could be 6 + weeks at least. The family are incurring major gas expenses up and down the highway to Toronto General plus all the worry that is building up with this medical condition.”
As of this week, the fundraiser has already pulled in more than $4,470 CAD, with donations ranging from $20 to $500.
“We were shocked when Carmen set that up,” Debbie said. “Rod’s response when I told him was, ‘Holy… wow.’ He couldn’t believe it.”
Rod’s Still Fighting
Despite the setbacks, there are signs of progress. Debbie says Rod is still in pain and very weak, but he’s alert and slowly regaining strength.
“He’s off the high-flow oxygen and just on the regular nasal oxygen now,” she said. “The physiotherapists had him sitting in a chair beside his bed for about an hour and a half.”
An update to the GoFundMe campaign adds: “His pain level is still quite severe. … Rod is very fragile so in addition to your cash donations if you would join with us and add your prayers for a full recovery that would be awesome.”
There’s still a long way to go, but the love and support from the car community is making a difference.
“He works so hard, and he always tries to make life a little bit better for the people around him,” said Debbie. “He’d be completely amazed by the support he’s getting — and so grateful.”
Want to help Rod and his family? Make a donation to their GoFundMe campaign.
Recent Comments