Anthony James Galati

Anthony James Galati Sr, 58, of Las Vegas, Nevada peacefully passed away on the morning of January 31st 2021. On June 1st 2020, he had suffered a severe heart attack which caused brain damage and he never regained consciousness.

Anthony was born in 1962, on April Fool’s Day, in the San Fernando Valley, California, to Alfred & Elsie Galati (Scanlon). He came into this world, as fast as his father sped through all red lights, on the way to the hospital, according to his mother’s diary. She said he was born promptly at 7:21am, after arriving at the hospital just thirty minutes prior. She also noted that “the baby got a bump on head from the forceps.” This would be the first of many “bumps” to his head.

He was raised with his two older brothers Joe, and Greg, and younger brother Jimmy. His childhood was filled with trips to Lake Tahoe, Lake Havasu and camping trips throughout the country by way of motorhome. A few joyous summers were spent at Camp Cottontail Ranch in Malibu, where he jumped on trampolines, took care of a spotted horse named Jitterbug and made pancakes for the camp. He was also part of the first ever sponsored Shimano BMX tour out of California. He traveled to Ohio, Florida and almost went as far as Japan, had it not been for his first accident.

At age thirteen he was a passenger in the backseat of his friend’s car, that was street racing down Beechy Ave, when they T-boned another car and wrapped around a tree. He had to be pulled out of the car with the jaws of life. This however, did not deter him from a world of street racing but perhaps only further propelled him down a NOS-filled path. By twenty-five years old he was a regular street racer and competitor at LACR and, ironically, was filming a video about the dangers of street racing, in his 68’ Camaro when he crashed into the director’s truck. Another accident he probably should not have survived. Both accidents caused two-week comas and some slight permanent brain damage. A change in appetite, the curl pattern of his hair, personality traits such as memory loss and impaired judgment, and a lack of fear in most situations.

By the time of his second accident he was a new father to his first son, Anthony Jr, and recently married his wife, Diane. He met Diane while they were both working at Blue Cross Insurance. It was there they had a movie-style meet cute in which they passed each other in the hall and after the both turned around, to look at each other once more, and he, who was walking alone, proclaimed out loud “I can’t believe she turned around.” The man who was walking with my mother said “I have a feeling something is going to happen with you two.” That guy was right.

A few years after his daughter, Angie, was born he relocated his family to Lake Havasu City, Arizona. He moved to be closer to his family and to add one more member to his own, his second son Joey. In Havasu, he worked in several automotive shops and eventually opened his own. He helped many locals and people in town visiting for the weekend. He was the only mechanic who’d drive out to your vehicle, tow it in to his shop, fix it on a Sunday and still somehow undercharge you. He loved helping people. He didn’t know or want to be greedy when it came to people in need. Once, on the way to Pomona for a drag race, the car in front of him got a blow out and gave his car one too. Before fixing his flat, he got out and fixed the tire of the person in front of him who had been alone. Then, he could fix his, with his family in the car, and carry on.

He spent all his free time in the garage working on his race car, the one that would become his “little red Corvette”, the 90’ Corvette. The day it was finally completed and he was able to get his official NHRA racing license was one of his happiest. His passion and love for NHRA, street racing and the BMX days of his youth was something most people simply dream of having. A passion born deep within one’s soul. He was fearless and was the biggest fan of racing. He lived and breathed it. Everyone who knew him at the track will surely tell you of his goofy smile that never left his face, how he cheered on every single driver that passed by his trailer. Maybe they didn’t know it but he would purposely park at the spot, near the end of the track, so after every pass each racer would drive by, every single time. Anytime someone needed a hand he was there without asking. If you won the race he was likely in the winner circle picture with you too, oftentimes without asking.

His greatest dream was to win a final round in his Super Gas division in NHRA. He sadly never won a Wally of his own but he would surely want us to gloat for him over some of his best racing accolades. He was the number one qualifier three times; the first time being on June 5th 2005 with a perfect 9.900 with his 90’ Corvette in Fontana, CA. He was runner up at the NHRA National open at Speed World Drag Strip in February 2012 and at the inaugural Hangover Nationals in Tucson, AZ in 2015. He lost in two round 5 quarter finals in Sonoma (2010) and Vegas (2017). In 2017 he also made it to the Top Ten of his division (7 - SuperGas). He had made it to the quarter finals in both National and Divisional races and even though he never made it to the finals he lost for the bye both times he made it to the quarter finals. He never won a final race but it didn’t matter, every round he won he acted as though he won the championship.

It would have made him so happy to know while he was laying in the hospital, while his family prayed for a recovery that didn’t come, one of his favorite racers, someone he knew as far back as the street races, Larry Dixon, reached out and sent a voice message to play for him. In it he said this, “One of my favorite stories I tell from when I was a kid going to the street races, was you were in your Camaro and you were racing Bottle Bob. I think it was over on Balboa and, like, Burbank and you guys were racing over the wash and I promise when I tell you that it could have been Don Garlits against Don Prudhomme and I couldn’t have been more impressed with you guys. You guys were so big-time and was the freaking coolest thing in the world. I’ve always thought the world of you man.” He would have loved that. He would have played that to everyone and told everyone about it.

He and Diane, along with his son, Joey and fiancé Julie had countless racing trips together, in their motorhome going around the country much like the days of his youth. The last few years he was able to spend these trips alongside his only grandchild, Allison as well. Those trips were his favorite. The time spent at the track, being around those who loved what he loved, and being able to share that love with his family.

He was a wonderful and incredibly hard working man who lived a wild life and was compassionate and caring for all those around him. His loss will forever be felt in his family and to all those who knew him. He was a great father and looked after so many others who lived in his house at one time or another. His hazel eyes and “curly fries” hair never seemed to age, nor did his muscles even though he hadn’t been to a gym in years. It was easy to think he was a man built to live forever when he ripped his shirt off to reveal rock hard abs after age 50. He didn’t follow rules, he had terrible social manners and above all he really lived life to the beat of his own drum. On drives back to California to visit family, he’d blast rock music loud to keep himself awake and he’d go crazy playing the drums on the steering wheel. He’d blast Metallica, the black album, and blare “We don’t need no education…” from the garage early on weekend mornings to wake everyone in the house. The only movies he liked, saw or otherwise cared about were: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Pink Floyd’s The Wall, The Warriors, The Godfather, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Purple Rain, he once wrote “The Kid” across his Nova in honor of that movie, The Lion King (with his oldest two children at a drive-in), and he was once caught by his daughter crying to a Winnie the Pooh movie, it was a scene with Eeyore. He loved Howard Stern, trashy tv and would watch literally any sport on tv and would typically root for both teams and be annoyed if either messed up. He was the dad who said he didn’t want any pets, yet, when said animal was brought home he ended up being their favorite person. This was true with all his animals but especially his cat Smokey, who unfortunately passed a few days after his heart attack in June.

He was preceded in death by his mother, father and brother, Greg. He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Diane, children Anthony Jr., Angie (Troy), Joey (Julie), granddaughter Allison, brothers Joe and Jimmy, step brother and sister Danny and Christy Elder, an abundance of nieces and nephews who will always miss “big Anth” and many cousins and second-cousins from California to New York.

Due to the current situation, a celebration of life will be held in the coming months when we can all gather together and give Anthony the farewell he truly deserves. His family is so grateful and appreciative for all the donations received to GoFundMe. Any additional donations will be used for the celebration of life planned for this year.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/dianegalatisupportutm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.palmnorthwest.com for the Galati family.