Cyclist Crashes Head First Into Telephone Pole at 27mph

n July of 2005, Mark was competing in an annual race in Winston-Salem. The road was slick from an earlier rain shower, and the rider in front of Mark fell. When Mark tried to avoid the fallen cyclist, he crashed headfirst into a telephone pole going about 27 miles per hour. Mark was not expected to live and only due to the proximity of his accident to a level 1 shock trauma unit at Bowman Grey was he able to be in surgery in 30 minutes. Mark received a severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Mark's brain injury forced him to relearn everything, including how to walk, talk, eat, and get dressed. The severity of the injury made him lose all of the function in his right arm, which causes him tremendous pain. Three years later, Mark is ambulatory and slowly recovering his ability to speak. He has aphasia, thus making it difficult for him to speak effectively with people or to express his thoughts and questions. He is continuing to make progress in his communication. Mark also has other cognitive deficits including loss of short-term memory, mood swings, and the inability to read or write.....next....