New Jersey Hunters banner
1 - 20 of 63 Posts

TSPenn

· Registered
Joined
·
4,976 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 ·
One of my very best longtime friends was involved in a freak accident at my home on Memorial Day while riding his quad.

He was riding his 4wd quad with his grandson, not going very fast, maybe 15mph, because his grandson was on a little quad behind him. He has a plow that was poorly jerry-rigged on the front and it unexpectedly dropped and dug into the dirt causeing the quad to stop on a dime. He was thrown over the handlebars and face first into the ground. I was the first on-scene with another friend who cleared dirt from his mouth so he could breath. It was not a pretty scene. I and stayed with him in the woods till the EMT's arrived. He broke his neck and several vertabrae and could feel nothing from head down. They airlifted him to Robert Johnson Trauma Unit.

He goes into surgury tonight. He can now move his legs a bit and one arm, the other nothing. Docs say the surgery on the spine should fix that. That's all I know right now.

I ask that you keep him in mind, pray if you can, and when your out there riding, please be careful. It does not take much. I spent 45 minutes alone with him in the woods, keeping him awake and telling him it was gonna be ok waiting for the medics. I tell you it felt like 3 hours and I still see his face now whenever I think about him. What do you say to someone...a best friend, who just keeps telling you they can't feel anything? I just want him to be better.

This is a seasoned motorcyle Enduro racer of 30 years experience. If it can happen to him, it can happen to anybody. The last person I would expect...15MPH is all it took.

Please be careful folks.
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
Prayers sent. I have been in your shoes. You did what you could I am sure. Don't beat yourself up.
The thing is that the best thing I could do...I knew right away was not move a hair on his head. The best thing was to do nothing. Fucking insane. Yeah I somehow have a strange feeling of guilt. We argued the day before about that damn plow. I told him it was dangerous and not needed. But it is his machine so he was gonna do what he wanted. I rode that thing with the plow for days before this doing work around the house and at speeds far greater 3-40mph. There but by the grace of God go I. It easily could have been me.

Thanks for the thoughts for Lance. Staying positive.
 
Discussion starter · #15 ·
Tcook showed up in the middle of it all. Tom, thanks for your support. (Tom that one cop seemed a lot more interested in talking hunting, our food plot and your truck than anything else huh?)
 
been praying since I found out on monday. just tragic.
 
What a terrible accident Tracy, but that's just it, an accident, not something you could have prevented being it was his quad and his decision to ride with the plow on it. Remember, an accident, not anything pre-destined. Don't for a second hold yourself in guilt over any of it. You did all of the right things and I am sure that as he recovers you will continue to be there for him and his family. I will keep you all in my thoughts; you, that you can close your eyes and sleep peacefully and your buddy for a smooth and uncomplicated recovery.
 
1 - 20 of 63 Posts