4/24/08

Body shop focused on granting a wish

by Beckye Randall

Steve Velez, owner of Accurate Lines Collision and Custom Paint in Smokey Point, is proud of the quality work produced by his highly-trained staff.

Pictures on the wall and in an impressive album demonstrate some of the extraordinary custom design work created at Accurate Lines, featuring stunning 3-dimensional images and one-of-a-kind artwork.

“We’ve done custom work for Ken Griffey, Jr., Shawn Kemp, Kenny G, Kathi Goertzen, Nate McMillan and lots of other celebrities, plus all those folks in our backyard who trust us to come up with a design that will blow them away,” said Velez.

While the shop owner is excited about the everyday quality of collision repair and custom work his team turns out, all of whom are I-CAR trained and certified, his focus these days is on one special car that doesn’t look like much right now.

With support from the Make-a-Wish Foundation, Velez is planning a “Pimp My Ride”-style automotive makeover for 17-year-old Colton Vincent of Everett, who is undergoing treatment for acute lymphoma leukemia.

Colton was diagnosed with the disease a little more than a year ago. In fact, it was on September 20, 2006, on the young man’s 16th birthday.

“He was playing sports and got hurt,” said Shauna Rider, Colton’s mother. “He went to the chiropractor for an adjustment and felt better, but the doctor referred Colton to the clinic because his lymph nodes were swollen.”

Following some tests and consultations, Colton was admitted to the hospital that day and began his first round of chemotherapy. He was hospitalized for the next three months.

“It was torture for him,” said Rider, “not because he felt sick, but because he didn’t. He wanted to be out skateboarding and being active, so he wasn’t a very good patient. He’d hold wheelchair races in the halls and even snuck out of the hospital to go skateboarding.”

Colton has had other challenges since the initial diagnosis. He suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed, but fortunately he recovered in about three weeks. The steroids he was given in conjunction with the chemotherapy effectively “killed” his bones from the knees down, and he’s undergoing additional treatment to reverse that damage.

“He has an 85 percent chance of recovery,” said Rider optimistically, “but he’ll have to undergo chemotherapy once a month for the next three years.”

When the Make-a-Wish Foundation contacted Colton about a possible gift, the 17-year-old decided he’d like to have a car. That’s where Steve Velez and Accurate Lines came into the picture.

“The greatest thing about living and working in this area is that everyone is so giving,” said Velez. “Our family lives right here, our kids go to Lakewood schools, and we know it’s important to reach out to others in need.”

Velez has a Cadillac that he’ll use as the base for Colton’s custom car unless a more suitable vehicle is donated for the cause. As long as the car is mechanically sound, the condition of the body doesn’t really matter.

“We’ll pimp it out with new stereo, wheels and tires, a custom paint job, the works,” said Velez. He’s already gotten commitments from other automotive-related business owners who want to pitch in on the project.

He’d like to have the car ready for Colton by July. Velez is beginning to plan a customer appreciation day in the early summer, with a cookout and live music, which will also be a fundraiser for the car project.

If you’d like more information or would like to donate services or products for the teen’s car, contact Steve Velez at steve.accuratelines@hotmail.com or call (360) 658-5625. To see samples of collision repair and custom work done by Accurate Lines Collision, visit www.accuratelinescollision.com.

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