My Life Changed on October 18, 2022
I was going on a ride, training for my next Triathalon.
Triathlon in Coconut Creek, FL.
I took 1st place in my age group 60-64
Riding on West Palmetto Park Road in Boca Raton, between US 441 and Loggers Run park. It is a 2 lane road in each direction, with no bike lane or shoulder.
I rode this route once a week for 9 years!
I was riding at 20mph, hugging the white line on the right, when a 71 year old man going 50mph struck me from behind. After the impact, I was thrown forward and luckily landed on a large grassy swale.
I heard a horrible Sound
Next thing I new I was lying in the grass face down unable to move.
The Driver DID stop and called the police. A friend of mine who happened to be riding by stopped to check on me. I asked him to call my wife.
Shortly afterward the paramedics arrived and secured me to a board and took me right to Delray Medical Trauma Center.
The Driver Said He Never Saw Me?
Every other car that passed me had no trouble seeing the bright red flashing strobe on my bike and moving into the other lane.
The damage to his car was extensive! My body lurched backwards with the back of my head hitting up by the top hood while his bumper hit me in the lower back and launched the bicycle and myself.
The paramedics thought I would be paralyzed.
My next stop was in the hospital.
The X-ray and CT scan showed that I had the following:
*Three compression fractures of the vertebrae in the lower spine L1-L3
*One fractured vertebrae in my neck, but so much trauma that they had to bring in a spine specialist and perform a 5 level cervical fusion of vertebrae C3-C7.
I spent 15 days in the hospital!
*I was hit on October 18, 2022.
*I had surgery on October 21st, 2022.
*I was transferred to the rehab wing of the hospital, October 24th.
*I was DETERMINED that I would WALK out of the Hospital.
*On November 1, 2022, I walked out of the hospital and went home.
*For the next 3 months I was in a body and neck brace.
My next Goal Was to Get Back What I Lost!
I never lost my sense of humor! I thought going into a bouncy house was good for my rehab. My wife would have killed me first!
As bad as my injuries were, the toll it took on my wife and daughters was immense.
I had an amazing support group of family, work and friends who stood by and encouraged me.
My Race Continues
Within 6 months I was riding a bike (only on the gravel trails along the Everglades levee) and running. I still have more work to go!
I will not give up!
The doctors were amazed at my ability to recover from such a horrific injury.
My only wish is that no one else has to go through what I went through.
A simple bike lane and people paying attention to all road users, while driving would have prevented this!
