big rig verses dodge ram.
In 2008 i was on a very extended driving vacation, basically checking out the country and looking for a new place to call home, well, somewhere along the way i decided to go drive the Alaskan highway, when i had done that, i decided to drive to the arctic ocean { when else would i have the opportunity } Anyway, i dropped back south threw Alberta Canada and then on into Montana. I was 50 miles south of Alberta on a rural 2 lane highway on a cold october night. The road was a long sweeping dogleg to the left. I suddenly notice this big rig barreling down on me in a way aggressive way with way to much speed, he crosses the line and starts to pass me. This is where my memory has come to a blank.
I wake 7 days later in ICU in Billings montana hospital. There was a vehicle behind me on the highway that gave reports of the big rig driving way aggressively and almost taking them out, They gave statements that the truck past me and cut back into my lane before being completely past my truck. His trailer hit the front of my truck and tossed me right off the road and off of a small cliff, then the truck rolled down a hill threw a bunch of trees. The couple in the car behind me stopped as the big rig never even slowed down and left me for dead. The husband stayed with me and did what he could and the wife drove to where she had cell service to call for help. Forestry firefighters came and cut me out of the truck, this took an hour so i am told. I was airlifted to a small hospital where they could not help me due to my trauma being well beyond there capability. Back in the helicopter to the airport, stuffed in a cessna and flown to billings airport, then stuffed in a different helicopter and flown to the hospital in Billings,
I had a hole in my forehead about 3" round, my left eye socket was crushed, i had a broken jaw, 4 broken ribs and a broken thumb. I was stabilized and flown to Los Angels and immediately started all kinds of testing at USC medical center. Actually i was one of the first patients with major trauma to enter the brand new facility. $$$$ When my brain swelling had subsided 3 weeks later i had a 12 hour surgery on my melon. Titanium mesh all over, ocular shelf holds my left eye and dam did waking up from that surgery hurt like nothing else. I have been told i am very lucky as lost 1 liter of blood in my accident, and that is pushing the limit for the human body. I was bound to get back to normal as soon as possible. 3 months after my accident, i was back at work full time running 3 separate businesses at the same time. I never was put in touch with the couple that stopped for me, they saved my life, with out them i would have bleed out and froze to death. I requested that the Montana state troopers give them my phone number so i could thank them, but i never heard back from them.
There is no way the guy that hit me, did not know what he did. Just makes you wander about a human that could cause such a thing and keep on going and leave me for dead. Who would do such a thing.
That is my story and all i can say is that aside from my accident and a nice story telling scar from my face peel, my life has not changed at all. Well, maybe i do not sweat the small stuff any more. I look at like this, I am alive and living my life. Leaving in a week to go to my 11th baja 1000. Maybe we will finish this year, if not, i know i still had fun doing it.
That is my story and i am sticking to it.
Michael in Culver city California.
