march2023 - 32

SHOW ME YOUR TRUCK
A new lease on life
After about a year on his tool route, this Cornwell Tool dealer got COVID-19
and was not given much chance to survive. Fortunately, he pulled through.
By Brendan Baker, Editor
C
ornwell Quality Tool distributor Jon Bachand spent
many years as an RV technician and fabricator. But
upon advice from his tool dealer then, he decided
to try the mobile tool business.
After about a year into his journey as a tool dealer in the
Lakes Region of New Hampshire, Bachand got COVID-19.
While many cases of the virus are reportedly mild, Bachand
got a severe case that sent him to the emergency room,
where he was admitted to the hospital immediately.
" I got COVID and went into the hospital in October
2021, " he recounts. " I basically died four times and was in
an induced coma. My wife continued to run the business
and kept things going while I was in the ICU. "
Bachand says he was laid up in the hospital for 12 weeks
and was not given much chance to survive, but fortunately,
he pulled through.
FAMILY TIES
Bachand's son Jonathan, who is also a Cornwell dealer, and
his wife Laura were covering his tool route. In total, Bachand
was out of work for about nine months, and doctors feared
he might not be able to return to work for a long time, if at all.
" Cornwell stood behind me and helped me as much
as they could, " he says. " My wife actually ran the business
while I was in the hospital. She'd go on the road and visit
shops, and she took care of the warranty stuff. "
Bachand's son also helped his father by delivering tools
to people on his days off, and he and his mother collected
money, too. " [My family] wasn't sure I was going to make it,
so they signed over the lease on my first truck to another
dealer, " he reflects, saying that his family was starting
to help the other dealer because they weren't sure if he
was going to be able to come back to work.
To view more photos
of Bachand's truck,
scan here
Jon Bachand
Lakes Region, NH
GOING BIG
Bachand was released from the hospital on Jan. 1, 2022,
and by the end of the month, he had already ordered a
new truck. " I ordered a Freightliner M2 through Tim Herr,
and he thought it'd be done by the beginning of May. And
May came, and I still had no truck. So, Herr sent me a loaner
truck, an MT45, to get me back to work because it would
be another two to three months for the M2 to be finished. "
Having survived such a rough bout with COVID-19,
Bachand figured that he would go big this time.
" I figured if I survived COVID, I wanted to come back and
come back big. I had a loaner truck for four or five weeks
and got a call that they had a Kenworth that had financial
issues and was available. I could have it in three weeks with
the same wrap I was going to do on the M2 and almost the
same design [as the Freightliner]. "
Bachand says he is very grateful for everyone who
helped him while he was out with COVID-19.
" Tim Herr went out of his way to send me a loaner to use
for free, " he says. " Everyone's been great. My district manager,
they all really helped out through the whole ordeal. "
Even though he is back to working full days, Bachand
still has some effects from the virus.
" I'm still winded and stuff, " he admits. " [And] I still have
a lot of side effects that will take years to overcome. "
While the virus may have taken its toll, it didn't win.
Bachand says that he expects his tool route to be back up
to 250 customers by this summer.
32 Professional Distributor I March 2023 I VehicleServicePros.com
https://www.vehicleservicepros.com/distribution/tool-distributor/article/21295833/show-me-your-truck-jon-bachand http://www.VehicleServicePros.com
march2023

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