Fundraiser aims to put Orcutt icon back on the road

The friends and family of an Orcutt man badly hurt in a car crash earlier this month are doing all they can to get him back out on the road.

At the Saint Louis De Montfort Church in Orcutt, the Knights of Columbus held a car show Saturday with more than 120 participants. John Shuffield’s 1959 Cadillac was supposed to be one of them.

“John had signed up like he always does,” said Lesly Shuffield.

The 87-year-old could not be there this year after he was injured after crashing his 1959 Cadillac into a pole on Clark Avenue two weeks ago.

The crash has John in the hospital recovering, and his iconic ride in need of some major repairs. So his family, and the community, decided to do something about it.

“The Knights of Columbus reached out to us,” says Lesly Shuffield. “They said we would still be welcome and to come show the car and represent John.”

People showed up to take a look at the damaged car, sign get well cars, and donate towards restoring his ride.

Shuffield bought the Cadillac when his grandson Chad, who is now 33, was just a toddler.

“The outpour from everybody has been amazing,” Chad said. “I’ve gotten teary eyed a few times today, I must say.”

“I am not only delighted that Orcutt has supposed us like this, but the car community as well,” Lesly Shuffield said. “They’re passionate about their cars, and each other.”