Window Film • Sept/Oct 2016 • Film Stars

"In less than a month, I went from being the best tinter in the world to barely getting by," says Bob Turner, operator of TintCo. Custom Glass Tinting in Sparks, Nev., and last year's first-place winner in the Automotive Division at the International Window Film Conference and Tint-Off™ (WFCT). "Barely getting by" isn't exactly what you'd expect to hear from the winner who took home the grand prize of $10,000 when we saw him last October.

However, this past year has been nothing but bad news for members of the Turner family. Not a month after celebrating Bob's victory, they found themselves spending most of their time in the hospital and not in the tint shop he had dreamed of starting with his winnings.

"I spent half of the money investing in products and advertising, but when Leslie got sick, we needed the rest to live on," he explains. Turner's wife, Leslie, suffered a stroke in early November 2015, leading doctors to find an apple-sized brain tumor. Three months after surgery to remove it, the family learned that another tumor had grown. With plans to start his company on hold, Turner redirected his ambition to getting his wife healthy again.

"It's been rough–business is slow. My mom's cancer is back, and I spend all of my time at the hospital supporting Leslie," he says. "It's a comfort to her, and I need to be there to keep her positive."

You'd never guess the tint business is cut-throat by looking at Turner's Facebook page for TintCo Custom Glass Tinting. On it, you'll see an outpouring of support from the window-tinting community through fundraising and events.

"I wasn't expecting to get as much support from other tinters as I did. It's a competitive industry, but they've helped us with donations by sharing our GoFundMe page, and we're really grateful for that," Turner says. The amount of money donated by other tinters totaled more than a community fundraiser held by a family friend, proving just how supportive the industry has been for the Turners.

"R.I.P my lovely wife … you will be beautiful forever, loved by many. I will miss you and so will our beautiful children … enjoy your rest. We will see each other soon," says Bob in an announcement to his Facebook community.

As the reigning champion in the automotive division, Bob Turner has proved himself to be a noteworthy competitor. Hopefully, WFCT will get to see Turner compete in future Tint-Offs™ and once-again be back on top, "It's like riding a bike. You can't forget something that comes naturally for you."

Katherine Coig is the assistant editor of WINDOW FILM magazine. She may be reached at kcoig@glass.com.