Palmetto FL 34221
941-981-3851
Email: anabd.org@gmail.com
FEIN Registered 501(3)(c) 90-0444721
Florida Registered Charity No. CH31990
In 2003 we
invaded
My company on our second deployment suffered several losses early and the constant battle for control of our sector seemed endless. An editor with TIME Magazine, Jim Fredericks, wrote a book titled, "Black Hearts," that covered some of the horrible moments we as a company lived through. I unfortunately was pulled from the battlefield prematurely due to an improvised explosive devise that caused me to lose my left arm and left leg.
Since my
return to civilian life I have emotionally cushioned the blow of losing two
limbs and a career I loved, by working with numerous organization that help
injured veterans returning from
My life is
good, I have a wonderful family; a beautiful wife, three wonderful kids and a
loyal dog. With all that is perfect in my life, there has still been this
lingering void that is with me at all times. My uncle, a Vietnam Veteran that I
have become very close to, immediately purchased a motorcycle when he returned
from
My uncle and I have discussed the possibilities of me owning a bike again but his suggestions of a Trike never sat well with my younger arrogance. I was then introduced to the world of Ural Motorcycles with a sidecar. The antique look, with the more important military-esque of the Ural Sahara and Gear-up, was love at first sight. With the right adaptations and the stability needed with the sidecar, nothing could be better for a guy with an above-knee amputation. Of course between a bike and the adaptations, money becomes a huge factor. I have decided to settle for what I can afford at the time being, which is a 1986 Honda Nighthawk that I am hoping to get for $900, slightly less than what is being asked for it, but with the mileage and work that will need to be done to it, the offer is more than fair.
After talking with, Gail Dewitt, owner of Disabled Motorcycle Riders, my confidence in making my dream a reality is growing with each day. Gail was not afraid to quickly discourage me from buying a two wheel bike and rigging it up to work for the moment with the limited money that I have, I told her the warnings were very much appreciated but my need to be on the road was much stronger than simple common sense. I need “Throttle Therapy for an Attitude Adjustment”. And with that void yearning to be filled, I will do whatever it takes.
I
went up to Milwaukee in 03 for Harley Davidson’s 100th. I got up
there and made it to the event that first night and while on the way back to my
hotel room I never knew what hit me. It was over a year before the police
report was released to my Attorney and we found out what had happened. I
suffered that whole time not knowing if I had hurt someone or was it my fault
in anyway? All we knew was that I had been in a wreck on my bike. We were
shocked and relieved to find out that I had been struck head on by a repeat DWI
offender in a car who crossed over into my lane of traffic. The guy who hit me
came on across my lane of traffic and onto someone’s front yard and hit a
telephone pole. I hit the driver’s side front end of the car and then slid and
side swiped all the way down the driver’s side of the car. I went on across his
lane of traffic and ended up in some bushes off the road where I could not be
seen. Luckily, for me there was an off
duty police officer who saw the entire accident.
The off duty
police officer went over to the car that hit me to make sure the guy did not
get away. He had not been hurt and only had a few small lacerations from his
forehead hitting and busting out his windshield. He got out of his car and
started to run, but fell flat on his face from being so intoxicated. If it had
not been for the off duty police officer I would still be laying there hidden
on the side of the road. No one knew I was there except for him. When all the
emergency people responded, they responded to the guy that hit me. The police
officer had to tell them the other driver was alright and that there was a guy
on a motorcycle that he hit over there off the road that was going to need
their help. I do not have any memories of the wreck and only have two memories
of coming too afterwards. I came too for a moment and remember a police officer
standing over me who was trying to get contact information out of me. I knew
that I was lying on my back and that something had happened and thank God I did
not feel anything or realize that I was hurt.
I suffered many
Traumatic injuries to the left side of my body. My left arm and leg both had
been degloved. I have a steel rod in my left forearm and ulnal nerve damage in
two of my fingers. They had to do a total left hip replacement and I have a
steel rod in my left thigh. They thought that they were going to have to remove
my left leg above the knee, but I was lucky and only lost it just below the
knee. I also suffer from a slight traumatic brain injury. Other than that I am
doing great considering!
I am a Marine
Corps Vietnam Era veteran who was honorably discharged after four years and I
worked at the VA Hospital here in my town for 18 years giving me a total of 22
years of Government service and I loved my job! I lost everything including my
job because of now being disabled as a result of the wreck. I make about a
third of what I was making when I was working. The other driver only had
$20,000 worth of insurance and was driving with SR 22 because of his DWI convictions.
He had nothing. Needless to say I am not only suffering from all of my injuries
and the loss off everything I had worked so hard to get up until that time but
I am also the one left responsible for all of my medical costs and care for the
rest of my life. There was no big pay off here and all the money from my
insurance was taken by the hospitals. I have my good days and I have my bad. I
am a family man with children and grandchildren who this has affected as well
and Christmas’s and birthdays are no longer the same for them and me. I gave up
hope of ever owning or riding another bike again.
I am a H.O.G. member and I still attend my
meetings and participate as much as I can. It is very hard to deal with the
emotions of being around the bikes when I am. I am also very involved with a
couple organizations that provide support and services to people with
disabilities which are S.I.L. and P.A.V.E. We are very involved with
legislation issues for the disabled and go to the Capitol often to help make
the legislators aware of our needs and issues. We give presentations as well to
anyone that will have us like the Colleges and classes with students that will
be working in Health care fields like Social Workers and Physical Therapist. We
go to Churches and grade schools and I really enjoy doing it because I do have
a very interesting story as to what happened to me. I go every month to the
Victims Impact Panels for people who have been convicted of drug and drunk related
driving offenses for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) and tell my story
to them. I try to keep myself as busy as possible. I am telling you this
because of my H.O.G. meetings and the urge every time I go to the meetings. I
have been conniving and trying to figure out a way of getting another bike and
last month it all got the best of me. I have my retirement account which is all
that I have left in this world. I figure you only live once and I better enjoy
life while I still can and able to get around as well as I do.
I wanted to get a new Harley, but then thought that I would never be able to afford to do the things I wanted with it. I got to looking online and found me a beautiful Big Dog, Pitt Bull. My girlfriend and I drove the five hundred miles down to look at it and that was it. I came home and withdrew my retirement and went and got it. The guy I bought it from was supposed to be a little more helpful as for making sure that I could ride it or making the bike to where I could, like a button shifter. We thought that we would be able to adjust the shifter back far enough to where I could ride it. I should have had the guy send off for the shifter just in case I needed it put on. When we went to get it things kept happening and I kept getting that feeling that this was the wrong thing to do, but went ahead and did it anyway. The shifter had no adjustments and I could not ride it! The guy was willing to send off for the shifter and put it on, but it would of meant another thousand dollars and another thousand mile round trip for us to come back to get the bike. Needless to say the bike is in now my garage. I am going to have to borrow or find a way to come up with the cost of fixing the bike to where I can feel safe and ride it. I am to where I have given up. I was on here researching looking to see what my options are and the cost. I see where you all may help out in some way? I am at my wits end and in tears. I want to say thank you very much for your time and reading all of this. I do not know where else to turn and I am not good at asking for help. So here goes, I need help!!! Jerry Mitchell
THROTTLE THERAPY FOR AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT
