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April 2008
I start my story by saying Thank You!
"Welcome to the Outer Banks of North
Carolina" Now watch out for the bugs and
the tourist, they both cross the road
without looking. I was heading south on
Rte-158 just north of the Wright
Memorial Bridge when someone pulled out
in front of me from the right side of
the road, and stopped, in my lane. I was
doing about 55 mph and he was only about
60 feet or so in front me. I layed the
bike down and for the first second or so
thought I was doing good until I hit a
reflector in the road surface with the
left hand grip. That ripped the bike
loose from my grip and we parted
company. I continued rolling and
tumbling south thru the right lane, the
left lane, the center lane and into the
north bound lanes on the 4th of July
weekend and no one hit me. There is a
God and she loves me. The helmet was
smashed, my cell phone and watch was
flat. The last thing I remember was
seeing the word "JEEP" on the front end
of a vehicle screaming to a stop just in
front of me, and my bike back up on its
wheels and heading south on the far side
of the road.
I was knocked out and when I came to
there was one lady holding my head and
another checking my limbs for broken
bones. I think this is the Jeep lady?
She smiled and said "you're OK Hon, your
going to make it". I passed out again
and next time I come around I'm lying in
the middle of the highway covered only
with blood. I was naked. I was bleeding
a lot. Road rash up both arms from the
wrist to the shoulder, across my face
left to right side. A long road rash
runs across my left shoulder down my
back to the top of my right butt cheek.
My left leg had a large piece of flesh
ripped back from the left ankle to just
below the knee with 5" of bone exposed.
The shift peg was gone and the
transmission shaft pierced my leg just
above the ankle, just below the knee,
into the knee, and just above the knee.
I had seven (7) broken ribs, two (2)
broken shoulders a broken clavicle, and
a broken right elbow. And there were
some internal injuries.
The next time I come around in the air
ambulance the paramedic tells me I'm
heading for the Norfolk Sentara General
Hospital Burn Trauma Center, your hurt
bad Hon but you're going to make it.
(I've heard this one before) The next
time I come too I'm in a hospital bed
with the usual tubes and IV lines
and I can hear Beeep, Beeep just behind
me. If you can hear that sound in the
hospital it means you're still alive. I
was told that the left leg was so
damaged it was coming off that
afternoon. I said NO to that. Today I
still have the leg, it's not pretty but
its all mine, not plastic and I'm still
walking on it.
After eight months of flat on my back,
the wheel chair and then a cane my son
brought my back to me from the shop.
That was a Monday and by the next
weekend I had put on about 2000 miles.
I'm not ready to give up. I have been
riding since I was 13 years old, now 65
and I still ride every day. I'm a little
more careful of the obstacles in the
road.
There are so many things I could say
now, like, keep the rubber side down,
watch out for others, wear your leather
and most of all look out for your
brothers on the road if they need your
hand.
Dave T. |
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Dear Riding Brother "Dave T",
I also have to start by saying
"Thank You".
I can only imagine that you replay
that crash over and over. Part of
that replay is offering to share it
here in this manner and I am so
grateful that you have.
One reason...one of the biggest
reasons for my gratefulness comes
from believing that with the telling
of each unique story a rider reading
the story may learn
(vicariously) something about how to
handle their bike, be reminded that
one must have a great and positive
mental approach to each ride or that
it really is so much better to go
down wearing your leathers and a
helmet...etc. These lessons from
another's experience are invaluable
in my estimation.
How many times does the newbie
hear..."there are two types of
riders, those who have been
down and those who will
go down!"...so if that is true...the
rest of us should be prepared
to listen to the ones who have gone
down and paid the price, like
yourself. We really do need to
listen to the words of experience
and wisdom.
One of the other biggest reasons for
my being grateful is that in hearing
of how you have coped with your
unique crash event, your unique
journey and struggle, many others
glean exactly what they need from it
to continue on their journeys. We
may never know what it is an
individual "hears" as she or he
reads these sharings. But I know
that somehow the stories bring
healing and inspiration. They bring
a sense of belonging to a greater
journey and community. Had your
story ended with you never getting
back on, it would still speak to
someone and still bring healing and
inspiration. We only need, like you
have, to share what ever our story
happens to be and believe that the
person who needs it most will find
it!
I am so very glad that you are still
walking on your very own two legs.
Considering the extent of your
injuries your recovery must have
required a lot of effort and
determination. It seems, as well,
that it was fueled, in part, by your
love of riding. I know that so many
will understand that deep in their
hearts.
One
of the things I 'hear' in your story
is how important it was for you to
have people, even people you did not
know, tell you, tho' hurt badly, you
were going to be alright. In all
that was happening, the comfort and
peace found its way through from
those words to help get you through
it. Those are words from real
angels!
I
am grateful with you that you are
still able and willing to continue
the motorcycle journey and I will
repeat your lessons learned for the
rest of us to 'hold' for a
moment and to contemplate:
"There are so many things I could
say now, like, keep the rubber side
down, watch out for others, wear
your leather and most of all look
out for your brothers on the road if
they need your hand."-Dave T.
Thank you again, for allowing us
all to hear about your crash and how
you have coped. Thank you for
sharing
so
much of yourself.
Your sister in spirit,
TINK |
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March 2008
Hi Tink
I found your site on total motorcycle
and I'm glad I did. I was in an
accident and can't image how my family
would feel if I were the causality which
was almost the case. My husband and I
decided to take up motorcycling and we
love it. At the time I had a
Kawasaki Vulcan 500 nice beginner bike
and my husband had a Kawasaki Vulcan
800. I only had my license for 8
months and was still pretty green but
very confident. We live in Mass and had
ridden through NH and VT to get to
Americade in Lake George NY with 7 of
our friends. There were 6 bikes
total. The ride there was tough
because we rode through pouring rain all
the way to NY. We made it there
with no issues other than fatigue.
We had a wonderful time at Americade,
went for rides along the lake it was
beautiful. I was so excited it was
like gliding in the open air. On
the ride home was when it happened.
I'm thankful it was chilly out because I
had all my leathers on, coat, chaps,
full face helmet. In NH there is a
hairpin turn that has a beautiful lake
on one side and a cemetery on the other.
Approaching this turn I was 5th in line,
a couple on a gold wing were behind me,
and because I thought I could I was
speeding into the turn. I was
going so fast, my bike was almost on
it's side and my foot was dragging on
the ground. I would have made it
through the curve if it wasn't for one
stupid mistake. I made the
cardinal mistake when your in a turn, I
looked up at the on coming traffic and
took my eyes off of the curve. In
an instant my bike immediately became
vertical and headed for the front end of
an SUV. I have no idea how I did
this but I put the throttle down, my
saddlebag hit the SUV, I went thru a 4'
ditch up a hill and headed for a
headstone, through a leg over the bike
and let the bike go then fell on my
butt. The couple that was behind
me went through the curve then came
running over. They thought I was
dead. I was very very fortunate to
have walked away with only a terrible
bruise on my left shoulder. A car
that was behind the last bike went up
the road and told the rest of the group
that a "girl had crashed her bike but
she was ok". I have never seen my
husband that shade of white before and I
never want to see it again. My
bike suffered a broken clutch and bent
handlebar. Everyone wanted me to
have a tow truck pick up the bike but
for some reason I knew that if I didn't
ride something home I would never get on
a bike again so our friend taped up my
clutch and rode my bike and I rode my
husbands 60 miles back home. Then
the scary part came, I told my kids.
When I did that reality set in and I
thought "what am I crazy!" I
avoided the bike for a couple of weeks
then started riding it again.
Because I was now terrified of that bike
an I so wanted to keep riding I traded
it in. I now have a Vulcan 900
which fits me better and I feel believe
it or not safer on it. I truly believe
that I got through that accident because
I had my brother in law with me,
certainly not my riding skills. My
brother in law was a biker all his life
and past away 8 years ago (not bike
related). I had the accident
around the anniversary of his death.
I know it was Gary who put the throttle
down and held my shoulder up so I would
not fall off the bike. I truly believe
that. Thank you for this site,
thank you for listening.
Peg |
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Hello Peg,
I
want to thank you for sharing
your story here on Biker's Haven. It
is particularly important to me that
survivors of accidents share what
they have lived through. It is
important for a number of reasons.
One reason is that I believe that
other riders (and especially new
riders... though ALL riders need to
constantly hone skills and check
egos) will gain knowledge and riding
skills as they read about what one
may have done wrong in any given
situation to make the
situation worse....BUT
,also, what they could have
done and/or what they did do
to mitigate the consequences
of the wrong choices/actions they
made in that situation.
Another reason it is so important is
that if one survives an accident, as
you have most thankfully, there is a
LOT of emotional trauma that ensues
in the aftermath of the incident.
You have willing and bravely shared
your feelings about the bike, your
first ride home
afterwards AND your children. You
have helped all to understand,
in part, that there is a
process to working through the
incident and how one goes forward.
For some it could take days and for
others it could take years.
Some survivors are the accident
victim themselves who have come
through it relatively physically
unscathed as you did, some require
days to years of physical
recuperation in a hospital and rehab
( not to mention the mental and
emotional rehab)
.... and for those who die,
their loved ones are the
survivors....and for them it takes
the rest of their lives to
recuperate, so to speak.
I am so glad that you found Biker's
Haven and were strong enough to
share your event with us. So many
will learn....so many will
understand....so many will be
encouraged.
I know that your love of life...of
feeling life deeply...is enhanced by
riding. Every rider can just give a
silent nod to your words as you
describe getting back on a bike. We
are all thankful that you are
safe...are an even safer rider now
and will help to spread the word
about always riding your own ride.
I am thankful that your
brother-in-law was with you that
day. I believe that my Father, who
never got to see me ride in the
flesh and who used to ride an Indian
back in the 30's, rides with me all
the time. He helps to keep me alert
and safe.
If you have any photos that you
would care to share with
us...perhaps a picture of your
guardian angel, or someone who
helped you find the peace to throw a
leg back over...send them on.
We ride under the same sun...
your sister in spirit
tink |
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March 2008
Tink
I just found your web site from someone
on
www.DailyStrength.org
and I thought that I would share my
story... I lost 5 people in my family in
one year. I wasn't sure I would live
through all of this. My sister's husband
died of a heart attack in Oct 2006 at
age 59. My Husband died of cancer in Nov
2006 at 67. This almost killed me and my
3 sons... then while on a vacation trip
up to Canada and all through Northern
America. On June 1, 2007. My Brother and
his wife riding their Golden Eagle with
3 other couples in Diana New York was
going down the highway... my brother and
his second in line.. hit head on with a
car that had swayed over in their
lane... She wasn't paying attention and
went into that lane killing my brother
and his wife.. My baby brother age 58
and my sister in law age 57.. They had
so much to live for and my sister in law
had just retired.. They left behind.. a
daughter age 32 her husband and two
children and he left a 25 year old
(single) son in the navy that is now out
to sea It is such a loss... Then in Oct
2007 I lost my mother,, So much sorrow
for all of us.. For all of you that have
lost loved ones... My heart goes out to
you... I so understand how you feel!
Glenda
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My Dear Glenda ,
So much sorrow that you have
witnessed, in such a relatively
short period of time. I am so sorry
my sister, I have no words to offer
that would act as a balm on such a
wound as the one you are forced to
nurse and heal.
In reading your letter it occurs
to me that you have allowed me touch
this grief. I hope and pray that my
touch is one that brings a moment of
peace.. a moment of relief... a
moment of healing.
I thought of a wonderful Zen
Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, who instructs
his listeners to find their strength
for dealing with their suffering by
first concentrating on breathing in
and saying "calm" then breathing out
and smiling... then finding in that
one moment a simple joy... bringing
to mind one thing for just that
moment that brings you joy.. for he
goes on to instruct that without
this ground of joy, (even if it is
just a moment of joy) it is very
difficult to touch our suffering...
our suffering would carry us away
"so the foundation, the first stone
we put our feet on, is our tiny bit
of joy, our tiny bit of
happiness, before we go farther" - a
student of Thay's - -
I do not promote one religion over another here
in Biker's Haven. Bus share what I know from several
different ways in the hope that peace will cover you
and healing continue.
Glenda, how strong your inner being must be with
love and positive energy to bear this pain and work
to be at peace again. I know that it is so hard to
understand death. I will think of your "baby
brother" and sister-in-law... I will imagine their
joy as they rode, probably very similar to mine when
I ride.. And I am so sorry that their lives ended so
tragically.
When you have the desire to, send Biker's Haven a
picture of them and it will be my privilege to give
them a memorial page where you and others can come
to pray and write memorials to them. Visit with us
often and send your comforting words to others.
Thank you for sharing so much of yourself and
letting others know that they are not alone.
Your sister in spirit,
Tink
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