Port Hope car show honours a son and brother while shining a light on the mental-health resources his family says he couldn’t find
Five years ago, Liz Jefferies lost her son.
She lost him to suicide.
But what has happened since has been about far more than grief.
It has been about remembering Spencer Devine, celebrating the things he loved and trying to make sure another family doesn’t have to experience the same devastating loss.
This Sunday, August 16, the 5th Annual Spencer Devine Show and Shine Car Show will return to the Port Hope Fairgrounds at 62 McCaul Street, running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There will be cars.
There will be prizes.
There will be children playing, a fire department obstacle course and a face painter.
There will be plenty of smiles.
But underneath it all will be a mother’s message that comes from a place of unimaginable pain:
People need to know where to turn when they are struggling.
Spencer loved cars, and his mother Liz and brother Chase have taken that passion and turned it into an annual event in his memory.
But the Show and Shine is not simply about remembering Spencer.
It is about what happened when he needed help.
“He was looking for resources when he was having some anxiety issues,” Jefferies said.
Spencer made calls from Belleville to Oshawa. He also went to an emergency room in Picton.
He was looking.
He was reaching out.
Yet, according to his mother, despite those attempts, he wasn’t given information about where he could find the mental-health resources he needed.
“Between all of those phone calls and the distance between Belleville, Oshawa and Picton, nobody gave him any information on where to find resources,” Jefferies said.
“I know the resources are out there, but people don’t know where to find them.”
Those words have stayed with her.
And five years later, they have become part of the reason she continues to put on the Show and Shine.
The goal is awareness.
The goal is making sure people know that resources exist — and, just as importantly, know where to find them.
For Jefferies, this is personal.
This isn’t an abstract conversation about mental health.
It’s her son.
It’s her family.
It’s a life that cannot be brought back.
And it is a hole that never completely disappears.
But instead of allowing Spencer’s memory to fade, Liz and Chase have continued to build something in his name.
Sunday will be the fifth time they have brought the community together.
“Spencer’s love for cars and the fact that we want to create awareness for mental health” are at the heart of the event, Jefferies said.
And this year’s event promises to be bigger than just rows of vehicles.
There will be 13 prize awards, with donations from merchants throughout Northumberland County helping create what Jefferies says will be impressive prize tables.
There will be a kids zone.
The fire department will have an obstacle course.
There will be face painting.
And, of course, there will be plenty of cars for people to admire.
Participants are encouraged to bring their “ride” and their “passion on wheels.”
Jefferies is also hoping Mother Nature cooperates.
She expects sunshine and a day filled with fun.
But for the Jefferies family, the significance of the day will never be lost.
Five years ago, their lives changed forever.
They were forced into a reality no parent should ever have to face.
And instead of simply asking why, they have spent the years since trying to do something with the pain.
They have chosen to remember Spencer by helping others.
They have chosen to talk openly about suicide and mental health.
And they have chosen to keep his name alive.
Asked what Spencer might think of what his mother and brother have accomplished, Jefferies doesn’t hesitate.
“I know he’s looking down and he’s happy,” she said.
“And he’s, I think, proud of what we’re trying to do and bring awareness to mental health.”
Those words may be the most important part of Sunday’s event.
Because behind every polished classic, every modified car, every engine and every trophy is the memory of a young man who was struggling.
A young man who was looking for help.
And a family determined to make sure his story doesn’t end with his death.
The Spencer Devine Show and Shine Car Show takes place Sunday, August 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Port Hope Fairgrounds, 62 McCaul Street.
Bring the family.
Bring the kids.
Bring your car.
But most importantly, bring the conversation.
Because sometimes the most important thing someone needs to hear is simply this:
You are not alone.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
