This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Woodward Dream Cruise. It's a special event for many who come from near and far to participate in it.
See Ryan Marshall's full story in the video below
For many years, the Dream Cruise was a way of live for Tony and Barbara Wheeler – a couple who many considered Woodward Dream Cruise royalty.
“Things were rocking and rolling on Woodward at the Shell station, that’s where we met. And, we became friends. Came over the house. Had a little lunch. Got to know Barb and Tony," Richard Voss, Tony's friend, said.
Tony and Barb were so beloved that they were named Dream Cruise King and Queen in 2004. Richard fondly reminisced about what he calls the good old cruising days.
See WXYZ archive video of interview with Tony & Barb in 2004 below
“My cruising vehicle was a 1966 Nova. And, Tony had a ’63, or has a ’63 Corvette…red, beautiful car," Voss said.
They attended every Dream Cruise, but things changed as the years rolled by. Barbara passed away, and Tony, now in his 80s, doesn't have the same energy to build and drive his classic cars.
“This is a friend that’s going into assisted living. A friend of a friend needed help running the estate sale. So, I came over and I’m helping. And, we’re helping clear all this stuff out," Scott Whitehall, who is handling Tony's estate sale, said.
Tony made the difficult and painful decision to sell his entire car collection.
“We have car parts. We have ’63 Vette parts. We have tools. We have rolling toolboxes. We have yard tools. We have…as you can see right here a ’59 Thunderbird ready to go, has the title," Whitehall said.
“I feel their pain. I’m about the same age. And, the energy that I had, I don’t have anymore. But, I still have the passion in my head. So, you have regrets. But, they’re great regrets. Remember, we did it. We had it. We enjoyed it all these years. And, we’re still enjoying it. Sometimes, it’s time to let go," Voss said.
Tony's loved ones say he's doing well in assisted living.
