[Amc-list] James Hahn

["Eddie Stakes" <eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

What a devastiating blow. It's always tough to hear a AMC Friend passes 
away, but doubly tough to hear one taking his own life. It's another thing 
to get killed in a car wreck or drown, but another to blow one's head off.

James Hahn was a friend of mine. I frist cross paths with him in the mid 
1980s, a big fellow, looked like a football player who towered over me. And 
wore a eternal smile. He liked Gremlins. Didn't care for AMX, Ambassador, 
anything except Gremlin. You probably saw me write about him being "the 
gremlin god" as he owned about 13-16 of them, and his dad was just as 
enthusiastic about those little cars. Together, they seemed to snap up any 
Gremlin that needed a home; and in the 80s, many of the Gremlins were 
usually bought at police auctions...one step from the crusher.

One Gremlin in particular I need to mention. I was driving along Washington 
avenue here in Houston in the late 1980s and had it down to science to where 
I could drive slowly and look at the back rows of cars in the many used car 
lots on Washington, Harrisburg, Shepard, Durham and even College; as the 
back rows is where the AMCs sat. On this day there was a small lot with 
about 20 cars near Sawyer and The Pig Stand, and one front row was a little 
white Gremlin, so I whipped around and stopped.

It was a 74 Gremlin X, white with 304, AT and beautiful Levi's interior. I 
tlked to the salesmen and they wanted $1500 for it. When I made my rounds 
and went home, the first person I called was James Hahn. Not that he needed 
another, but this car was sweet, ready to show with little detail. He 
thanked me and went and bought it next day for $1250 cash.

That car he, along with beautiful wife Jaime, would proudly show at many 
meets here in the east Texas area for years to come including AMC Regionals, 
and ISCA Astrodome. The little 74 Gremlin made the big guy with the big 
smile have a bigger smile, especially when he would win a trophy! His dad 
had another show Gremlin, a red 76, but this one they really liked.

I talked to James just 2 years ago....and his work number at Blentech was on 
my desk here as I was going to call him to see if he needed anything off the 
74 Hornet I am parting out.
Last night (October 24th) I was watching the news about a SWAT standoff in 
NW Harris County in Spring. Nothing unusual there, SWAT standoffs are way of 
life in big city. But unusual about this was the announcer said that 'the 
man on Covington Place' had 'a chemical belt with explosives, and had told 
the officers that they knew what he does for a living and to back off'. I 
thought that strange, but that was end of it.

This morning, I found out the SWAT stand off ended as it was first thing on 
Houston news. The name seemed familiar, James Hahn. The firth thing you 
think of is how many people named James Hahn in Spring, Texas that are 
chemists and 39 years old. No, can't be. So I went to office closet and 
started pilfering thru AMC Club of Houston rosters, as he had been a member 
on and off for years, not steady, just occasionally. There is his name, and 
Covington Place, Spring. No, not this big happy bear Gremlin guy.

I told my youngest son, Jacob, who is 4 now, to watch cartoons of which he 
happily obliged. On my desk, I called Blentech, the work number I had for 
James since 1980s. The lady who answered the phone sounded tired. I'm not at 
a loss for words but stuttered thru it something like this:
"Hi, good moring maam, my name is Eddie Stakes." "Hi Eddie." Yes maam, I saw 
some news report about a SWAT standoff in Spring and the fellow's name is 
James Hahn and I his number is on my desk here and I just wanted to make 
sure this is not my Gremlin buddy who works there." She said "Hi Eddie, I 
remember you, and yes, this is his mother, and he killed himself last night. 
He had gotten a divorce from Kaime about 5 years ago and had been depressed 
as they mortgage company was foreclosing on his house." Insert stunned 
silence here. "He had been depressed, and as you know, we are a family run 
business here." "I stuttered (for lack of better word) WHY? He is only 39 
years old dammit!" But then quickly realized nothing I could say or do would 
easy this mother's pain. I told her that Paige & me would pray for James, 
and also strength for his family at this time and if there is anything I 
could do (their ain't) to please call me 24 hours. She said she was thankful 
for all those friends who had been calling expressing sympathy. I told her 
that James was just a big nice fellow and I could not even comprehend what 
her or daddy are going thru.

I also told her about finding the Gremlin on Washington and how he was like 
a kid with new puppy when he bought it years ago. On my wall I have a framed 
8x10 of my 68 Rebel convertible Machine at the ISCA 5 star Auto Rama at the 
dome from possibly 1990 or 1991. Next to it....is James' little 74 Levi's 
Gremlin!

She laughed as only a mother could do, especially under the circumstances. 
No mom should have to bury son. And all the questions. I just wished he had 
asked for some help. I honestly don't know what goes thru one's mind but I 
have been depressed before, just not to that pushed to the wall/no return I 
guess James was at with deputies serving eviction notice to him and he 
barricades himself in there. The kid had so much to live for and nothing to 
die for, but again, no one knows what goes thru a person's mind battling 
demons.

This is the article in the Houston Chronicle:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5244051.html

I'm sure in coming days there will be more on this strange story that sadly, 
involved a long time AMCer, and dammit, just a good man I had watched grow 
up the past decades.

This is a photo of James' Gremlin I mentioned above at the Houston AutoRama 
behind my Rebel.

http://www.planethoustonamx.com/stuff/james_gremlin.jpg

I probably have photos here of James, and chances are he is with or 
in......a Gremlin, and well, wearing a big smile. Too upset to look thru 
cases of photo albums right now however, eventually after the funeral, if 
there is one, will do it and make copies for his momma of her son, as usual, 
smiling. Ya'll say a prayer for this young man, he was a joy to be around, 
and at any AMC meet, even non AMC meet, ws usaully first one there and one 
of last to leave, and would always lend a hand, unloading parts, picking up 
trash in park, judging, selling sodas to benefit chapter, you name it, he 
was all that. God Bless You James, you will be missed by everyone you 
crossed paths with in this life. I just wished you had asked someone for 
help big guy.
Eddie Stakes 

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