3/26/01

Friends,

It’s been just about 100 days since the date of my accident. I can still vividly remember the flip of the bike like it was yesterday.

It was a beautiful day (12/16/00) and I had just finished buying the first of what were to be many Christmas presents. We, (Todd, Guy, & myself) had decided to go for a quick Mountain Bike ride here in Santa Cruz to get in some exercise. As I hurried to meet Guy & Todd, I noticed it was not far from dusk. I quickly grabbed my bike, gloves, and backpack and headed down my driveway in my Toyota pick-up. Feeling like I was missing something I took inventory of my gear. Immediately it hit me, my HELMET. I actually stopped and questioned if I should go back and get it. I stopped my truck & ran back to my garage. There sat my shiny blue helmet. Not a scratch on it.

As I arrived at Todd’s home, we quickly threw our bikes in the back of Guy’s truck and we were on our way. We rode to the top of the mountain and took in the view. As we started down the back of the mountain, it appeared as though it was going to be a rough day. Not more than 30 seconds into the ride down the mountain, I had already crashed my bike scratching my left side and covering myself with mud. As we came closer to the end of the ride, we all stopped to ponder the trail ahead of us and I turned to Guy & Todd and said “I need to take it easy, all I need to do is break my arm”. Little did I know that the next turn of the mountain would change my life forever.

As we made that next turn, Todd pointed out a spot on the trail, which gave us two options to ride. Without skipping a beat, I took notice once again of the fast approaching nightfall, and took off to complete the trail. As I approached the fork in the road, I did exactly what Yogi Berra said to do and I took it. In a moment of indecision, I went directly down the middle and I immediately felt myself thrust over the handlebars. I heard my helmet scrape across a stump only to be followed by the sound of dirt & gravel and the most horrific crunching sound I have ever heard. The next thing I remember is staring into the darkening sky and feeling my body go completely numb. Tears immediately filled my eyes as I felt my diaphragm shut down and my breaths move from deep inhales to tiny gasps for life. I heard Todd and Guy pull up behind me on their bikes and with all the air I could force, I said to them “I broke my neck! My God I broke my neck”. Everything important to me began running through my mind. Was I going to die? I turned to Todd and said, “Todd, please pray!” fully expecting that this would be the last voice I would hear in my life. God had other plans……….