Join Naomi in Supporting Nathan's Recovery

My name is Naomi. I'm raising funds for my husband, Nathan. He was in a bicycle accident. He is a wonderful father to our 12-year-old son. Nathan works hard to provide the best life for us. We've been married for over 15 years and are so in love. When this accident happened, I thought I would lose my loving, caring husband. My son was so scared that he wouldn't have a father.

It was a warm, sunny Monday morning. We all had off that day since it was the day after Easter. So we all agreed to check out a local bike obstacle course nearby. There was a beginner course and an advanced course. We all started out on the beginner course to try it out. Then Nathan was feeling confident and wanted to get on the advanced course. It had a jump where the wooden platform ended about a foot and half off the ground. My son and I were apprehensive to see Nathan attempt this feat, but Nathan, being determined and feeling courageous, wanted to accomplish the jump. He rode his bike to the far end of the wooden track to start his attempt. Aiming his bike at the ramp, Nathan started peddling to gain speed. As he reached the end of the platform, it all seemed to happen in slow motion. The front tire of Nathan's bike went over the edge and dropped to the ground. His body went over the handlebars, but his hands were still clasped to them. His entire body and the bike slid a few feet with their full weight on his face grinding against the asphalt. He screamed, "Oh no!" Our son and I darted over to Nathan's side. Blood was pouring from a gash in his forehead and pooling out of his mouth. I grabbed all the tissues I had in my purse to try to stop the bleeding. I handed my phone to our 12-year-old so he could call 911. The tissues were soaked by then. While our son was on the phone with emergency dispatch, I ran back to the car to find something else to hold against the wounds. I found a canvas shopping bag. As I got back to Nathan, he helped me peel the drenched tissues from his face. At that time I saw his cheek. His upper lip and left cheek were hanging with a gapping hole in his cheek. I saw muscle and soft tissue. With a horrified look on my face, I guided him to hold the shopping bag from his cheek to the top of his head. I helped hold it there while I coached our son through the 911 call to tell them where we were. I was so proud of our son at that moment. He spoke clearly even though he was pacing and extremely shaken. We all listened intently to hear sirens coming or an emergency vehicle approach. The dispatch woman stayed on the phone until a police officer was the first to arrive. He had some gauze that we used to replace the shopping bag. He took a statement of the accident and told us this bike obstacle course was actually built as a dog park initially, but they couldn't keep kids from riding their bikes on it so they converted it by putting up a sign to ride at your own risk. By the time the ambulance arrived, we had stopped most of the bleeding. Nathan never lost consciousness. His body, in shock, kept him from feeling much pain. He told the EMTs that his neck hurt, so they put on a brace to stabilize his spine until scans could be done. Little did we know, Nathan would not be out of a neck brace for 6 weeks.

Injuries: about 100 stitches on his face and inside his mouth and cheek, multiple fractures of his face and nose, ruptured sinuses, torn ligament at the base of his skull, a fractured vertebra in his neck, fractured skull, bruising on the outside of his brain, and bleeding on the brain.

It's going to be a long road to recovery. He needs to be in a neck brace for at least 6 weeks. He needed 2 platelet transfusions. He's had many CT scans, X-rays, and MRIs but will need more scans to see the progress of healing. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance. He's unable to work, especially due to the Traumatic Brain Injury. I am taking a leave from work to care for him at home. There will be many medical bills. I'm asking for any amount of a donation. Anything helps and is greatly appreciated. God bless your compassion and support.