Former Curator for the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum, Tom Schmeh, is recovering after a serious illness.

Schmeh will be at the Hall of Fame and Museum today to greet friends and say thank you for their thoughts and prayers before giving his final farewell and moving to New York to be with family while continuing his recovery.

Executive Director for the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum, Bob Baker, tells KNIA/KRLS News Schmeh had a severe case of psoriasis that required chemotherapy pills that eventually decimated his immune system. During that time Schmeh developed Histoplasmosis, which eventually landed him in Hospice Care due to his inability to take antibiotics with his decimated immune system.

Baker says Schmeh was given three to five days to live from his doctors but miraculously was able to leave Hospice Care and return to the hospital to take the antibiotics needed to fight Histoplasmosis. Schmeh will meet with the public on the second floor of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum today from 5-7 p.m.