Motorcycle Culture: THE FREEDOM OF MOTORCYCLES

Everyone has life-changing moments. Sometimes changes are only temporary, but sometimes changes are forever. My family was shocked that a motorcycle, which was supposed to provide such a feeling of freedom while riding, would cause a forever change.

My brother and I were both adopted as infants. We led a very peaceful family life filled with love, laughter, good communication, and hope. My brother was an Eagle Scout, won prize ribbons at the school science fairs, and was highly intelligent. At the same time, he wanted to fit in with his peers, and he was drawn to the crowd who had motorcycles. My mother realized that it was very important to him and was very supportive of this new interest. My father, however, was always the voice of reason and had reservations. He tried convincing both my brother and my mother that he should take his interest elsewhere. This difference of opinion was an ongoing subject for many months, but eventually, my mother won the debate.

The motorcycle brought him so much happiness until one fateful day when everything changed in an instant. It was a Sunday morning, and I asked why my brother was not awake and getting ready to go to church. My mom smiled and handed me a note he had written that said, “Do not wake me except for a natural disaster.” It was not a “natural disaster,” but our mom did have to wake him because he had missed delivering a newspaper to one house earlier that morning. Although he was tired, he got on his motorcycle and went to deliver the paper. The fateful phone call came soon after he left. I watched my mother listen and change from her calm nature to a frantic state, repeatedly saying, “Okay. We will be right there.” She dropped the phone, grabbed my father, and said that my brother had been in a terrible motorcycle accident. An ambulance was taking him to the hospital, and as they were running out the door, and I was standing in the hallway in a state of shock, they said they were sure it would be all right. They would be sending friends immediately to be with me, and they would keep me informed.

I later learned that, due to the severity of his injuries, my brother was airlifted to a hospital in Oklahoma City that was better equipped to care for him. He had hit a pothole on a residential street, had flown off his motorcycle, and hit a tree so hard that his helmet had cracked in half. He had broken every bone in his forehead and was now in a coma. He stayed in a coma for several days, and we learned that he required brain surgery and eye surgery. Although the eye surgery improved his physical appearance, the doctors were unable to restore sight in that eye. The accident also left him deaf in one ear, which causes an equilibrium imbalance. As he was healing, he struggled with losing his balance when he walked.

It is now 45 years later. To this day I always remember to sit on the side of my brother’s undamaged ear so he can hear me when I speak. He is still blind in one eye, and his personality was changed forever due to the brain injury. He has spent a lifetime trying to overcome the disabilities caused by this accident. I am very proud of him and all his accomplishments. He has overcome his challenges by earning, not only one, but three college degrees, and has worked in the defense industry using his mechanical engineering degree. He currently enjoys teaching robotics.

I recently moved home to help my mother, who was ill, and when I arrived I called my brother, who lives 900 miles away from our hometown. One of the first things he said to me was, “Can you please go into my bedroom closet and throw the motorcycle helmet away?” My mother had never forgiven herself, but I had no idea she had kept the helmet. I did throw the helmet away, and my brother was grateful.

I told my brother I was writing this article on motorcycle safety and asked what he thought the focus of the article should be. He said to focus on safety equipment, such as helmets, boots, long pants, and sleeves. He also said to focus on situational awareness by always knowing what is around you and what is in the path of your vehicle. I thanked him for his input, but I planned to focus on what we learned as a family from his accident instead. I wanted to share the personal experience of how life can change in an instant, and how these changes can be forever.