My daughter got her love of motorcycles at age 7 on her Honda 70 and just turned 30. She was riding her bike home from work last night and hit a deer. She fractured her neck at C1 and her left collarbone, and suffered a closed, traumatic brain injury. Yes, she was wearing a helmet.

Dakota has 3 young children, Clyde (named after my beloved grandfather, his great-great-grandfather) age 7, Hayden (the Cookie Monster) age 3, and Hazel Rayne, age 1 1/2. She is in ICU at the Scottsbluff Hospital, Scottsbluff, Nebraska. She has worked continuously since her teens and IS NOT a welfare mom. She loves those kids and she loves riding that bike. Dakota lost her shadow four years ago when her younger sister, Cheyenne, died at age 24. Cheyenne was a two-time Women’s Motocross Champion. I am so thankful that I did not lose my remaining daughter last night. Her mother and I actually survived the death of one child and stayed together without blaming each other. And I do not blame the motorcycle; Dakota loves to ride. It was just a deer at night. We will pick up the pieces and make sure the grandbabies are cared for. Dakota’s friend took the kids last night and has them at her house. Her mother and I are both disabled and on Social Security (I just turned 70 and her mom had major spine surgery just last month) and we are way down in South Texas.

Please help if you can. We are a working-class family, not a welfare clan. Thank you, Raymond and Sheila. Please share.