Yeah…Michael Knight is a fictional character. Watching that old TV show, it’s hard to believe that one man and his car could really make a difference. But the story of Helge Meyer might make you believe otherwise.
Meyer is retired special-forces soldier from the elite Jaeger Corps of Denmark who drove a modified Camaro into a war zone on a mission from God. The vehicle came to be known as the Ghost Camaro and Meyer voluntarily drove supplies to civilians trapped by the Bosnian War.
In the early 1990s, Bosnia descended into a civil war, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 100,000 soldiers and civilians. International organizations attempted to assist civilians trapped in the conflict, but slow-moving military vehicles filled with supplies were easy targets for robberies and bombings. This Chuck Norris-level special forces officer from Denmark came up with an idea, that something small and fast would be better for supply runs the war zone. He contacted the U.S. military who miraculously approved of his idea.
Meyer’s 1979 Chevrolet Camaro had a modified 350 V8 with output bumped up from the stock 182 HP to 220 HP, plus a NOS system that could briefly double the power to 440 HP, in case Meyer needed to escape a dangerous situation. Other upgrades included a land-to-air radio to co-ordinate with the US military, a mine-clearing blade, Kevlar panels, steel-plated windows, run-flat tires and a night-vision system. Once modifications were completed, an American transport plane flew Meyer and his Camaro into war-torn Bosnia.
Myer regularly eluded military units as well as the police, militias, and irregular fighters. Literally putting his life on the line to help innocent civilians, Meyer won the respect of US Air Force and Army personnel, earning the nickname ‘God’s Rambo’ because of his fearless methods.
The War Camaro had no weapons fitted to it, and Meyer never carried a firearm during his multiple crossings into Bosnia from 1992 to 1995. He said his only weapon was his Bible. On each run, Meyer carried 400 kg of food, blankets, medical supplies and even LEGO for the kids.
When the Bosnian War ended more than 25 years ago, Meyer returned home and brought his Camaro back with him and wrote a book about his experience. The legendary car is unceremoniously parked in his garage now with well over 100,000 km on it, but has been returned to road-legal condition. Helge Meyer proved that one man and his car can make a difference in people’s lives, and his legend deserves to be remembered.
