Wednesday, July 28, 2010

One Last Ride

He took it out for one last ride.  The guy he sold it to was coming to pick it up so he wanted to take it out for one last ride to make sure it was running well and I imagine, to say goodbye to the bike.  He had two young daughters and it was time to give it up.  My sister waited for him at my parents house with the girls.  They were excited because when Daddy got home they were going to the fair.

Forty-five minutes later he wasn't back.  He wasn't answering his phone.  When my dad got home he and my sister went out looking for him.  She got a call while they were on their way.  There had been an accident.  As they pulled up on the scene the ambulance was pulling away.

He had laid down the bike.  Slammed into a rock wall.  He hit the wall so hard his glove flew off.  Thank God he was wearing a helmet.  He destroyed his knee.  He was nearly unrecognizable under the road rash.  When I took my oldest niece to see him in the hospital she wouldn't go near him.  I didn't even see him the first day he was in the hospital.

Personally I think someone hit him.  He can't even remember what happened.  It was a windy road that kids speed down all the time.  I think they ran him off the road and kept on going.  Somebody called the ambulance and when they got there he was laying in the middle of the road and there was no one around.  So who called the ambulance?  And why the heck didn't they stop?  We will never get those answers, but I wish we could.

This started a four year long journey for my sister and her family.  A journey they are still working through.  My brother in law is fully recovered now but it took him multiple surgeries and a year long recovery process.  I thank God everyday that it wasn't worse.  That he did have that helmet on.  That who ever called the ambulance DID call, whatever their motivation.


This post is a part of Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop.

10 comments:

Bekah said...

Oh wow. Thats so scary, Im glad to hear he has physically recovered well.

Stephanie said...

Made me cry all over again... Thankful to God for his protection & thanks for posting.

Sarah Lou said...

Oh my goodness... that is too scary! I'm glad he has recovered! This is why my uncle got rid of his bike--and why I'm trying to convince my friends not to ride theirs!

{Thanks for visiting me!}

{Not Quite} Susie said...

That's so sad! I am so glad he's doing better but I imagine nothing will ever be the same.

Jennifer said...

Wow.. great post. I'm glad he's okay. Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Heather said...

Thankfully he lived, even though it was a long recovery.
This post really hits home for me. My uncle did not survive his accident. My hubby had his accident and also had a lenghty recovery, nothing like you BIL's recovery I'm sure.

robin said...

Wow.... so awful! those bikes are so insanely dangerous...

Thanks for stopping by.

:) robin

Girly Muse said...

Wow, what a story. So glad he's ok. What a miracle.

I need to have my husband read this and make SURE he wears his helmet EVEN just around the corner.

Ms Dreamer said...

My father (in law, but that's not important) and his family are all bike guys. I long to join them, but this is what keeps four wheels under me instead of two.

Glad to see his guardian angel was with him close that day.

stopped from Mama Kat's

Michelle, Queen of Everything said...

Oh my God, Bree, I had never heard this. I think it's every wife's nightmare when her husband is running late or not picking up the phone. I'm glad he's okay now.