Help Richard walk and ride again!

     Richard Hunt is a husband, father, friend, neighbor, Marine and bike enthusiast. Rich genuinely cares about people and is always willing to help anyone with anything, big or small. If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting him on the trail or riding with him, you know he is the first to take time to change your tire, fix your bike or tell you about a trail you would enjoy. He is a devoted father who was excited to begin the adventure of coaching his daughter’s (Madison) high school mountain biking team. He and his wife Jessica are best friends who don’t go more than a few hours without calling each other and telling each other how much they love one another. They also have a dog named June, who people say is Richard’s second child .

     Richard was doing what he loves last Saturday, riding his bike, when his front tire slipped out from under him so fast there was no time to react. He landed headfirst into the sidewall of a steep trail and immediately lost feeling in his entire body. Fully conscious, he told his friend to call 911 and that it was necessary to have a helicopter fly him out of the canyon. He knew enough to know that he should not be moved until he received medical attention. When he arrived at Scripps La Jolla minutes later, the doctors did a Cat Scan and MRI. They quickly determined he needed to have his spine protected in preparation for an 8-hour surgery. To prevent further injury, a halo and pulley system was drilled into the sides of his head and back of his neck to pull traction, straightening his spine.  He waited like this for 17 hours for his impending surgeries.   After the surgeries, Richard has had problems with breathing on his own, fighting an infection, being able to use his arms and stomach, and more importantly having any ability to use his legs. It has been more than a week, and he is showing improvement. His excellent attitude and determination to one day walk on his own push him to motivate his body to go beyond its current limits. He has an amazing community behind him and a loving family by his side. He got accepted to Craig Hospital in Colorado, one of the top spine rehab centers in the country, and he will be flying there later this week. Richard will stay there for at least 90 days, and his family will join him for the first month.

     We know this will be hard on Richard and his family mentally and physically, but there will also be a financial portion to this that insurance will not cover. Thank you for helping Richard and his family during this challenging and complicated time! While it is difficult for them to ask for assistance, they know it will make this next chapter in their lives easier to handle.