Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/723417
September 2016 | Overdrive | 61 PDQ_OVD1215_PG.indd 1 11/18/15 10:17 AM All have been treated and are in remission. There are indi- cations that the lung cancer could develop again, but he's prepared to battle whatever comes next. "It's the strongest fight I've had to do," he says. "You learn to live with it and adapt to it. I refuse to lose. That's my motto. As long as you're winning, you're living." Jaikes has outlasted can- cer battles over more than eight years, but another memorable incident of survival happened in a flash, at 1:10 p.m. July 21, 2013. Driving his Kenworth on two-lane Route 422 in western Pennsylvania, he noticed an oncoming pickup truck moving erratically. "You do what you are trained to do if something is coming into your lane," he recalls. "You grip the steering wheel and maintain your lane." The head-on collision heavily damaged the Kenworth. Jaikes suffered serious arm, knee and head injuries. The pickup driver had an arm and leg amputated and claimed to have fallen asleep, but police, Jaikes and witnesses believed it was a suicide attempt. Jaikes had the Kenworth restored and resumed exhibiting it at show truck competitions, which he'd begun in 2006. He's received many trophies in his truck's class and for lights. Jaikes says "98 percent of the time, customers are impressed with the truck," while others don't care. "All they worry about is their freight get- ting there and being on time." Overdrive Editor Max Heine photo- graphed Jaikes this year while riding with him on a South Alabama run. For more on Jaikes, including a video highlighting his truck and detailing his battles with cancer and post-wreck recovery, visit OverdriveOnline.com and search "Jaikes."