Car enthusiasts from across the country gathered at Rock Springs Baptist Church in Easley to honor the life of Rob "Rabbit" Pitts, a car icon from the Upstate.Pitts, 45, died on Sunday from complications of stage 4 stomach cancer. His funeral was held on Friday, but before the service, hundreds of cars lined the church's parking lot for a car show. "Before he passed, he actually told me that he wanted his funeral to be the biggest car show of the year," said Jeff Trahan, Rabbit's videographer. "He said he wanted T-shirts sold at the front door. Unfortunately, we were not able to make that happen for obvious reasons with respect to the church."The Greenville native owned Rabbit's Used Cars in Seneca. "Every car show that we went to, we knew 30 to 50 people were following us there. He just brought such charisma and such energy to this community," said Robert "OddRod" Pettit, one of Rabbit's closest friends.Trahan had worked alongside Pitts for years, filming his various adventures for his YouTube channel."We had people commenting on the YouTube channel that were, you know, talking about suicide and how he helped them get out of rough times and just as his voice and his personality just brought joy to people," Trahan said. "Rabbit" rose to national fame through his YouTube channel and through the Netflix show "Tex Mex Motors." His fellow cast members traveled to the Upstate to pay tribute to their friend. "I've been feeling awful, man. It's sad, extremely sad," said Marcos "Scooter" Carrera. "I never met anybody like him, and he was very proud of where he was from. He spoke highly of the city of Greenville."Local supporters like Brian Dennis also brought their cars to remember Pitts. "He was just a guy who got it," Dennis said. "He was like the rest of us, that he — that this was a really big part of his life and something that gave him great joy."As Pitts was escorted to his final resting place, people reflected on the impact he made on the Upstate's car culture. "Rob actually gave me his shoes, and I think about him when I wear them. Like, I might be literally filling them, but there's absolutely no way I can actually fill them," Pettit said.Rabbit's yellow Corvette, a cardboard cutout of him and a chair bearing his signature were also present to honor him. He is survived by his wife and family.
EASLEY, S.C. —
Car enthusiasts from across the country gathered at Rock Springs Baptist Church in Easley to honor the life of Rob "Rabbit" Pitts, a car icon from the Upstate.
Pitts, 45, died on Sunday from complications of stage 4 stomach cancer. His funeral was held on Friday, but before the service, hundreds of cars lined the church's parking lot for a car show.
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"Before he passed, he actually told me that he wanted his funeral to be the biggest car show of the year," said Jeff Trahan, Rabbit's videographer. "He said he wanted T-shirts sold at the front door. Unfortunately, we were not able to make that happen for obvious reasons with respect to the church."
The Greenville native owned Rabbit's Used Cars in Seneca.
"Every car show that we went to, we knew 30 to 50 people were following us there. He just brought such charisma and such energy to this community," said Robert "OddRod" Pettit, one of Rabbit's closest friends.
Trahan had worked alongside Pitts for years, filming his various adventures for his YouTube channel.
"We had people commenting on the YouTube channel that were, you know, talking about suicide and how he helped them get out of rough times and just as his voice and his personality just brought joy to people," Trahan said.
"Rabbit" rose to national fame through his YouTube channel and through the Netflix show "Tex Mex Motors." His fellow cast members traveled to the Upstate to pay tribute to their friend.
"I've been feeling awful, man. It's sad, extremely sad," said Marcos "Scooter" Carrera. "I never met anybody like him, and he was very proud of where he was from. He spoke highly of the city of Greenville."
Local supporters like Brian Dennis also brought their cars to remember Pitts.
"He was just a guy who got it," Dennis said. "He was like the rest of us, that he — that this was a really big part of his life and something that gave him great joy."
As Pitts was escorted to his final resting place, people reflected on the impact he made on the Upstate's car culture.
"Rob actually gave me his shoes, and I think about him when I wear them. Like, I might be literally filling them, but there's absolutely no way I can actually fill them," Pettit said.
Rabbit's yellow Corvette, a cardboard cutout of him and a chair bearing his signature were also present to honor him. He is survived by his wife and family.
