Hey all,

I just finished a review on the new Women's Envy Jacket from Shift. It is posted up at RocktheGear.org. Take a look!

Shift Women's Envy Jacket Review

If you haven;t already singed up as a member, to be eligible for our weekly gear giveaways and monthly newsletter with all our updates, do it now!

thanks again for all the support.

Rock the Gear (dot org)!

Brittany

 

Hey people!
So, it’s official, the NEW season has begun, because… yep, you guessed it, all the NEW GEAR is out and ready for you to drool over, hope for, and dream about rocking!  I have already picked out all my “WANTED” new pieces, and there’s still a few oldies-but-goodies that make my top 10 all-time favorite list.  But enough about me and my picks....
 

WE WANNA KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE SPRING 2009 GEAR!
 

Every company has or is in the process of posting all their new pieces on their respective websites.  Here’s the deal: we want you to go online window shopping.  Make a list of your top 5 favorite new things out there.  ANYTHING GOES regardless of brand or riding-style affiliation.  Whether you have seen the gear in person or just in pictures, we want to hear about your initial gut reactions (and so do the gear companies, trust me)!  All we ask is that you only include PROTECTIVE APPAREL, no fashion items please.  Helmets, jackets, boots, gloves, pants, eye protection, and even stunt/race armor.... we wanna see it all. 
If your “SPRING 2009 TOP 5” list is chosen as the winner, you will win ONE OR MORE of the items in your list! The winner will be chosen at random, and in no way will your chance of winning be affected by the items you choose to include in your list.

We will be accepting and posting your “Spring 2009 Top 5” lists in a brand-new section of the website through March 15th, 2009.  Any lists received after the deadline will be posted, but not included in the contest/giveaway.  We will announce and notify the winner on April 1st, 2009 (and no, kids, this is NOT an early April Fool’s joke).

To enter, fill out the contact form on the CONTACT page - make sure to include all the required information, your email address, and your “SPRING 2009 TOP 5” list. Your top 5 list must include a url/link to each piece of gear you have chosen, so everyone can check out your choices! 
For an example of what your entry should look like, and to see what I have chosen this Spring, simply click “read more” at the bottom of my blog on the RTG home page!

Get out there, go shopping, and let us know WHAT YOU LOVE this season!

Happy Hunting,
Brittany
www.RocktheGear.org

Hey everyone,

Come check out all the new updates on RTG:

We have a kick-ass video from Neil Cotter that is getting rave reviews from all over the world!

A new rider review of Alpinestar gloves from Charolette Clark.....

An update about our newest Supporter: FULMER HELMETS......

The Week 1 Gear Giveaway Winner has been posted along with info on more upcoming WEEKLY GEAR GIVEAWAYS......

A new contest that includes making an online new gear shopping list and a chance to win things off your list for free!

Links to the new SPRING COLLECTIONS from many of your favorite gear companies......

and much more!

WWW.ROCKTHEGEAR.ORG

Words by Brittany Morrow
10/03/2006

EXTREME ROADRASH

 

ONE YEAR HAS PASSED

It's hard to look in the mirror and think that my scars are already anentire year old. Touching my stomach and rib cage, I can't imagine looking this way and feeling this pain for the rest of my life. I still feel as if at any moment I will wake up from this terrible dream and be comfortable in my own skin once again. Knowing that it's real, that there is nothing I can do to change it, I am remindedof my mistakes every minute of everyday. I am also reminded how lucky I am to be alive as I close my eyes and remember why I still feel pain after an entire year of healing. Imagining that if I hadnot survived the accident, I wouldn't have anything to touch at all, I smile when my fingers run over a thick layer of scar tissue in place of my once soft skin. I know my life has a purpose, and I strive everyday to live up to the task that has been placed at my feet.

THE ACCIDENT

It was a beautiful Sunday morning even through my blurred vision. I was on the back of my friend Shaun's GSXR 750 and was excited to be on a sport bike, even if it was as a passenger, after a long streak of no riding whatsoever. I had shed my prescription glasses for a pair of sunglasses, my cowboy hat for an oversized helmet, and quickly thrown on a pair of capri jeans, tennis shoes, and a sweatshirt over my bikini. I thought nothing of the fact that I had practically no protection against the asphalt if anything were to happen. I figured that we couldn't get into a wreck, it simply wouldn't happen to me. It's amazing how fast life came at me that day.

Approaching mile marker seven on highway 550, I noticed that I had to start fighting the wind to stay behind Shaun without pulling on him too much. I placed my hands on the gas tank and pushed myself into him as much as possible without crowding him. As we came around to the right and went down the hill, we kept accelerating. I was scared, but thought I could handle the force of the wind as it suddenly picked up much more than in the moments before. I started to slide back on the seat and felt the cool air fill the small space between my chest and Shaun's back.

I felt a rush of wind hit my face like a brick and our bodies separated in an instant; my visor had come completely open. The force pulled on my face and helmet so hard that it sent my head up and backwards, ripping my entire body off the back seat with it. I remember thinking that if I grabbed Sean's t-shirt I would pull him down with me, but it was already too late to try and grab a hold of him. I was only in the air for a spilt second, but an eternity of thoughts ran through my mind. I had no idea what excessive speed I was about to hit the ground at or the damage it would do to my body, I just thought about how my life had led to that point. I remembered the basics of surviving a fall from a horse without injury, which I had done a few times in the previous year, and simply let myself go. I knew there was nothing else I could do.

When I hit the ground, it was as if every breath I had ever taken rushed out of me in an instant. I could feel every inch of my body hitting the road; tumbling, sliding and grinding into the unforgiving surface. In my helmet, which seemed so small and yet completely empty, I could hear my whimpers as I fought to breath and my prayer to God as I gave into the asphault. In a matter of seconds, I had come to the conclusion that I was going to die, and I was ok with it. I knew this was far worse than anything I had ever gone through and I was convinced I would not live to see the next day. My eyes were closed as I finished my 522 foot tumble down highway 550. I never lost consciousness, but I remember wishing that I had.

At first I couldn't feel anything. A few moments passed before anyone was at my side, and I had the chance to try and move myself. Immediately, I could tell that I had lost my left shoe as my toes were burning on the hot road. My right foot felt stiff, completely unmovable, and I thought it was probably broken. I noticed that my knees were uncovered when the little pieces of what I thought were gravel scraped against my skin, only to find out later that they were my actual kneecaps grinding against the pavement below them. My right arm was trapped underneath me and my shoulder felt hot. My left pinky was the most noticeable pain in those first few minutes, a throbbing and stabbing pain, as it bled profusely right in front of my face. I could smell my blood as it pooled beneath me on the road.

By the time the ambulance came and rolled me onto my back, removed my helmet, and called the helicopter, I felt as if I had been cooking on the street for hours. Every nerve ending in my body was on fire; tingling, scorching, and burning. I had not gone into shock, and the adrenaline had worn off almost instantly. Not being able to move was the worst of it. I wanted to pull my arm out from underneath me. I wanted to get off that hot road. I wanted the sun to stop shining so brightly on my naked back. I wanted everything to just go away. But it didn't. The people who sat on that road with me and came to my rescue saved my life. I wanted to die, but they wouldn't let me give up, they wouldn't let me close my eyes and go to sleep.

The helicopter ride was fast. The morphine had kicked in just around the time we landed at the hospital, and the rest is somewhat of a blur. I remember hearing a doctor saying I had lost my entire left breast. I remember another asking me if my family had been called. A third doctor asked if she could take pictures of my wounds for documentation. When it came time to clean off my skin, the doctors decided that a surgical debreedment of the dead tissue was necessary, along with invasive repair to my pinky, right big toe, and left side from hip to armpit. I don't even remember being put under, and the rest is lost in the six hour surgery that followed.

THE HOSPITAL

I woke up wrapped like a mummy. I was on my back in an air bed, in a room I had never seen. Did I dream that Shaun had come and held my hand? Why were my parents here? I didn't know what was going on, so I tried to sit up. Then I felt the intense pain on my back, my side, my shins, my feet, my thigh, my hip, my forearms, my wrists, my shoulder, my fingertips, my ribcage, my stomach, and my chest. It all came at me in one large rush, and I knew exactly where I was and remembered what had happened. I spent the next three weeks waking up to the exact same confusion, rush of pain, and realization of my surroundings. My condition never seemed to change for the better, no matter how many times I went through the process of attempting to sleep it off. The worst part about the pain was that it never completely subsided unless I was sleeping, and I had nightmares of the accident every time I slept. I couldn't escape what had happened to me. On the rare good days, my Dad would brush my hair for hours; it was the only thing that helped me forget what I was going through.

My road rash was so severe that my skin was not going to grow back on its own.I had lost too much surface area for the doctors to simply suture me together and send me home. After the blood loss had been controlled, the skin loss needed to be addressed. I was to receive full thickness skin grafts. Literally, the doctors had only 2 places on my body to harvest healthy skin. My thighs were the only two places that had not received any abrasions. In order to help my open wounds heal, the doctors had to cut off a thick layer of healthy skin from my thighs and place it over my burns, surgically stapling the new skin in place. This was the only way to "fix" me, and I didn't even have enough skin to graft all of my wounds at once. The doctors had to choose which areas to graft first, and which ones would have to wait.

Wound vac: a slang medical term that will give me goose bumps for the rest of my life. When a patient receives a skin graft, a suction cup is placed over the completed surgery in order to increase blood flow from under the new skin. These devices are called wound vacuums, and they ensure that the burn tissue does not die, but rather joins with the new skin to create a layer of dermis where none would have grown without the graft surgery. It feels like a leech, a constant sucking on the most painful abrasion you've had in your entire life. Multiply your worst skinned knee as a kid by 50, add it to 55 percent of your body, and then let someone suck on it with a handheld vacuum for 24 hours a day; only then will you know what it is to experience a wound vacuum on a fresh skin graft. Each graft received a dose of the painful sucking and after three weeks I was free from the noisy machines.

The only thing worse than the wound vacuums were the dressing changes. Even thinking about the pain today makes me sick to my stomach. In the areas the doctors were not able to graft within the first three weeks: my back, chest, rib cage, side, and stomach, they did daily dressing changes to make sure the wounds we being kept clean. My bandages acted as my skin where the graft surgery had not yet taken place. Every time the doctors changed my dressings, it was as if they were ripping off my skin. The oxygen hitting the open burns was enough to make me scream. Cleaning the wounds with water would send me into a rage. It is safe to say I would have rather been lying on that road again than go through a daily dressing change. This lasted the entire two months I spent in the hospital.

Physical therapy, as motivating as it was supposed to be, was just as painful as anyone can imagine. Struggling to sit up in bed, hold myself up without help, and lay back down without hurting the open burns on my back proved itself to be a daunting task. Attempting to stretch my skin, which was tough and thick as leather, once the grafts were slightly healed, made me wince and fear that I would lose all motion in my wrists. I remember getting dizzy just from trying to stand up, blacking out and throwing up from a wheelchair ride down the hall, and crying at night because I couldn't get up to go to the bathroom on my own. All the abilities I took for granted in my everyday life had come back to haunt me, to teach me a lesson on why I should be thankful for every second I am breathing.

Everyday I would dread the moment the doctors came into my room. Whether they were coming to do a conscious sedation for my daily dressing change, whisk me off to another surgery, or put me through physical therapy, my attitude worsened everyday towards the people who were trying to save my skin. It drove me to act bitter towards the people who cared about me the most; my parents were there every day and I know it must have been difficult for them to put up with me. The pain I went through pushed me into a deep depression, but I refused to be put on medication for anything of that nature. I was taking 20 pills with breakfast and dinner every day, I didn't need to add to that number. I was asked several times if I wanted to talk to a psychologist about the accident, talk about the nightmares my nurses always reported me having at night, but I denied the willing listener. In short, I made sure I paid for my mistakes dearly, not only physically, but emotionally as well, and everyone around me could see the old Brittany fading away.

After my final skin graft surgery on November 16th, I woke up feeling as if my back had been completely replaced. The noticeable difference between the open wound and the grafted burn was enough to lift my spirits. I was able to lay comfortably for the first time in two months. I knew the time had come for me to get out of thehospital and start the real healing: returning to my normal life. I had to beg my doctors to let me go home. I couldn't stand the thought of returning to a physical rehabilitation hospital. With fresh donor sites on my left thigh and a throbbing pain worse than most I had felt, I walked down the hall on the fifth floor three days after surgery so I could go home. I cried with relief when they signed my release paperwork.

GOING HOME

I walked slowly into my house for the first time in over two months. The smell alone was enough to make me smile, as Thanksgiving dinner was being prepared for the next day. The warm air, the sound of my dog yelping at my return, the softness of my own bed sheets, and the glow of real sunlight pouring in through the bedroom windows gave me the most comfort I had experienced since the accident, and compared to the hospital, it was heaven. I was not on my own by any means; my Mom had to help me shower and give me my blood thinning shots twice a day in my stomach. Walking from my bedroom to the kitchen made me break a sweat, as my muscles had not been used in two months. I still had open wounds, was using a personal walker built for full body support to move around, and couldn't even dress myself, but I felt a happiness that seemed almost unfamiliar.

Coming home was the best thing that could have happened to me. The doctors gave me a month before I would be walking without the walker, but I threw it in the back of my closet after the third day. I ditched my bandages after a week and started wearing jeans ten days later. I was determined to feel normal again, or at last appear normal to the unknowing passerby. I began driving after only two weeks out of the hospital and started living my life as if I had never fallen off that motorcycle. My friends and family could see how quickly I was becoming myself again. I truly believe being around such wonderful support helped me heal as quickly as I did.

I was still attending physical therapy, but was improving at speeds that amazed even my own doctors. I was walking up stairs without a second thought and riding the stationary bike with ease. It still hurt to do normal things, even bending my knees to sit in a chair would send pain up my legs, but I learned to ignore it all. I was so used to the way my skin ached, including the itching and burning I would feel every second, that it was as if I never really felt it anymore. My mind had blocked it out and unless I stopped to notice it, the sensitivity and uncomfortable nature of the healing skin grafts wasn't even in my thoughts.

The morning my hair started to fall out I knew something was wrong. I had been out of the hospital for an entire month but the medication I was taking had just started to leave my system. The combination of chemicals that had kept me alive and comfortable in the hospital was now killing the living cells in my scalp and face. After a week of pulling chunks of my own hair out and watching my eyelashes and eyebrows fall to my cheeks, I felt like a cancer patient taking chemotherapy. I cut my long blonde hair short to try and save as much of it as I could, but it never stopped. You could see through the few thin strands left all the way to my scalp and I even had a couple completely bald spots. I finally had had enough and decided to simply shave my head and get it over with. I cried as the rest of my hair hit the bathroom floor that night.

After everything I had suffered as a direct result of the fall: 55 percent body coverage of third degree burns, severed tendons in my left pinky finger, a severely dislocated right big toe, and a large amount of blood loss; what really slowed the healing process was what I experienced in the hospital. Indirect results of the accident due to a prolonged hospital stay: pneumonia, urinary tract infection, pseudomonas infection, blood infection, a blood clot in my left leg, yeast infections, anemia, 3 blood transfusions with 1 adverse reaction, 8 surgeries, 31 conscious sedations, countless skin debreedments, and undiagnosed PTSD and depression. With these things in mind, the loss of my hair seemed minimal at most. My hair would grow back. I was alive, and thankful for that everyday. I knew that what I had gone through would give me the strength to survive anything else God had planned for me in the future. As long as I could walk, talk, and breathe, I was always happy to be on this earth and would never take the blessings in my life for granted again.

RETURNING TO RIDING

My heart felt heaving knowing something I loved so much had almost cost me my life. I knew the mistakes I had made and the consequences I never wanted to face again. I couldn't imagine not riding because it was one of my few joys. I knew I would never again ride without my gear. Even on a hot day and a short trip, my helmet would always be on my head and I would make sure it was functioning properly. I was back on a motorcycle as a passenger a few times before I was rid of the fear I felt. Once I was able to go highway speeds, I knew I was ready and able to ride again. I wanted to feel the freedom that comes with being alone on the machine and rolling on the throttle, putting the rest of the world on hold.

I bought my 2006 Yamaha R6s on June 22nd from a local dealer. With help from a very close friend, I was reminded of the basics of riding every morning for a couple of weeks in free lessons that were tailored to my needs as a rider. I was taught the importance of knowing that while on a motorcycle, literally anything can happen at any time. Riding prepared for the worst possibilities will always protect you from injury in even the smallest wreck. I know I never want to feel the way I did in the hospital again, and anything I can do to keep that from happening, I will do every time I get on a bike. I learned some new skills in that first month back on the road, but I also learned some important things about myself as well. I learned how strong I really am, especially after returning to the sport that changed my life after almost claiming it.

THE FINAL OUTCOME

My road rash will take several years to completely heal and will never look or feel normal again. I have conquered the only fear that kept me from riding and I will never put myself in the same position to receive such injuries as I have lived through this past year. I stress the importance of wearing full gear to each and every person I ride with, talk to, or even who happens to read my story. I believe that my experiences are a lesson to every type of rider or passenger. I would never wish the pain I felt and still feel today upon anyone in this world. It is completely avoidable with a few extra layers, and I can't say it enough: it is undeniably worth it to gear up. Everything I have gone through this past year will not be in vain if my testimony is enough to save someone's skin.

Hey all,

I am so proud of this project and how it turned out. Please help me out by reposting the launch video and banner everywhere humanly possible: forums, myspace pages, facebook, comments, bulletins, blogs, emails, etc....

Together we're gonna change the world ;)

Everything is available on the site, codes to copy and everything!

 

www.rockthegear.org

 

Let's start a riot!

 

-Brittany

 

Hey all! Save your Skin posters are now on sale.  Choose between two posters that were a BIG HIT with Dealerships last summer and at the Dealer Expo in February 2008. If you can't choose, get both!  The more you buy, the more you help Melanoma Research and the fight against Skin Cancer!  Put them in your garage to remind yourself to SAVE YOUR SKIN, or help others by bringing them to your local dealership and posting them in the GEAR section! Thank you for all your support!

 

Side View Roadrash
 

  Over the Shoulder



Want 'em signed?  SAY THE WORD!  I've left a "special requests" section before you checkout if you want a personalized note and signature! Just let me know ;)

Click here to order your posters and donate to Melanoma Research!

Hey all!

First I want to say, as a woman who has lost part of a breast in a motorcycle accident, and a cousin to one of the bravest Breast Cancer victims in the entire world (I love you Ali!) my heart is very close to the fight against breast cancer and anyone who has ever known someone who has struggled with this terrible disease.  My heart (and left breast) goes out to each and every woman who will benefit from a donation to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.  I am very happy that SBG has chosen this charity to benefit from their rallies and am proud to be a supporting memeber.

With that said, I would like to introduce you all to the way in which I hope to donate as much as we can to the 2009 SportbikeGurls.com Rally Fund, which benefits the SUSAN G. KOMEN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION!

RIDE Ribbons, by Queen B, are a special way for women who ride to show their support of the fight against breast cancer.  The top quality satin ribbons feature the classic pink breast cancer coloring, and are adorned with the letters RIDE in beautiful rhinestone charms.  The letters feature top quality Swarovski Crystals that are guaranteed to be 100% clear and have no discoloration.  The surgical stainless steel that the crystals are housed in is guaranteed not to tarnish and is very soft to the touch for skin contact.  The ribbons come 30 inches long, so they can be used in a number of ways: necklaces, bracelets, anklets, key chain charms, rear view mirror decoration, or can be tied to almost anything you can imagine. The charms are removable in case you choose to wash or replace your ribbon, and can slide freely so you can create a completely custom look!

I have had my original ribbon for a year, have never lost a crystal, nor
have I ever had to replace the ribbon or the charms.  They are beautiful and look like top quality jewelry, I have worn mine as a necklace, bracelet, anklet, tied it to my purse, and had it hanging from my rear view mirror in my truck for a bit as well.  I would recommend giving them as presents, they are a great gift for any lady rider regardless of what or how they ride.

To show my support for SBG, the rally, and the SGK Breast Cancer Fund, I will be selling these ribbons on forums and my myspace page, with ALL PROCEEDS GOING TO THE 2009 RALLY/BREAST CANCER FUND.  To show how much I love you all and this cause, I will be covering individual shipping myself.  I will not make a dime off of these necklaces, every penny profited will be sent to the SPG.com paypal address in one huge donation.

Here is your way to purchase a ribbon (or two, or three, or....) and make a donation to the 2009 Rally/Breast Cancer Fund at the same time!  If you were planning on making a donation, why not get something that shows your support and appreciation at the same time? Let's see how many ribbons we can sell!

Thank you all for taking the time to visit this blog and for your support of SBG and the 2009 Rally/Breast Cancer Fund. And I want to say thank you to LOVE (a founder of SPG) for allowing me to take my idea and put it into action!

A photo of the ribbon hanging in front of a mirror so you can see the details in the crystals and the back side of the charms:

A photo of me wearing my ribbon as a choker necklace, to get an idea of the size:

And a close up of the same photo for some shimmery inspiration!

You can use your paypal, or a debit/credit card if you don't have a paypal account.  Just click the "BUY NOW" link below and you can order any number of ribbons you want.  Please make sure your address is correct.

THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!

BUY RIDE RIBBONS NOW and donate to Breast Cancer Research!

Hey everyone,

I'm sure some of you have heard, after a month of hinting on my part, that I am running a huge project right now called Rock the Gear that will launch in its entirity on August 15th, 2008.









You can check out the preview now at www.rockthegear.org and request the RTG page as a friend for updates before the official launch!

What I need from you guys is your stories, testimonies, reasons for rocking the gear.  I have received HUNDREDS of emails from people who were willing to share their stories with me, now I want to help you share your stories with the world.







 

Details on how to share a story and include photos for the ROCK THE GEAR campaign website are in the RTG blog. Follow the link above to the myspace page and click on the "RTG TESTIMONIALS" blog on the top right hand side.









Thank you all for your continued support and your help with this project!

Much Love,
Brittany Morrow

Dear Brittany,

 

Congratulations!

 

You and your custom 2006 YZFR6S have been selected as one of the ten finalists in the Boz Bros 2008 Bike Show and U.S. MotoGP Contest!

As one of our ten finalists you are invited to bring your Supersport Bike to the Boz Brothers National Tour presented by Yamaha at the Redbull U.S. Grand Indianapolis, IN (September 12 - 15, 2008) to compete on-site for three different awards:

AWARDS: The following categories will be judged by the public and will receive the designated award:
Best Yamaha R6 – trophy
Best Yamaha R1 – trophy
Best Yamaha Supersport Amateur Builder (R6 or R1) – trophy and photo shoot in 2Wheel Tuner magazine

If you wish to attend the on-site bike competition, you are responsible for the transportation of yourself and your bike, and any and all associated costs to the U.S. Grand Prix event. You will receive your U.S. Grand Prix tickets and parking tickets from Yamaha via mail prior to the race.

If you accept our invitation, you will be required to adhere to the following schedule:

Redbull U.S. Grand Prix Indianapolis Schedule

BIKE ROLL IN:              THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2008       8 AM – 6 PM

BIKE ROLL OUT:           SUNDAY, SETPEMBER 14, 2008           5 PM – 7 PM

 

You will be required to leave your Yamaha Supersport Bike under the Boz Bros Bike Show judging tent throughout the duration of the race weekend. Supersport Bikes will not be allowed to be moved from under the tent during the race weekend. Supersport Bikes removed from the judging tent during the race weekend will be immediately disqualified from the Boz Bros National Tour competition. You are asked to bring detailing supplies to the Bike Show and to attend the tent at least three times a day to ensure your Supersport Bike is clean. If you do not return to the tent members of the Boz Bros National Tour and/or Yamaha staff will clean your Supersport Bike in your absence. You may not bring any additional props, posters, banners, or trophies to the tent. Signage for the bikes will be provided in advance of the event. There is absolutely no alcohol inside the tent.

Supersport Bikes will be judged by public vote and ballot. All ballots will be counted on site no fewer than two times by Boz Bros Bike Show National Tour Staff. Entrants receiving the most number of public votes in each category will be designated the winner and will be notified on Sunday September 14 prior to the Moto GP race. If you are selected as a winner, you must be present at the designated award ceremony time to receive your trophy. Should the winner not be present to receive their trophy, the second runner up will be announced and so on. Finalists participating in the Boz Bros Bike Show National Tour are not eligible to participate in voting.

If you wish to accept this invitation, please contact us by end of day Friday, August 1, 2008. You can reach us via email ********(@2wtmag.com or via telephone ***-***-****.

 

If we do NOT hear from you by end of day Friday, August 1, 2008, we will assume you do not wish to attend and move on to the next candidate.

 

Congratulations and see you at the Show!!!!

 

 

Thanks!

 

Sarah Timleck

Publisher
2Wheel Tuner Magazine

One of my best friends in the whole world, Mariah Wilson and her husband LES lost a best friend and son in a motorcycle accident 2 Saturdays ago. Calvin Wilson, 23, was killed by an accident involving a woman who ACCIDENTALLY pulled out in front of Calvin without giving him a chance to stop, and PURPOSELY tried to flee the scene before witnesses forced her to stop her vehicle by jumping on it. Unfortunately, Calvin's life isn't the only one affected by the driver that day, she was carrying 4 children in her van and the example she set by trying to flee is damaging to say the very least. 5 lives in one day becuse she didn't look twice.



The article covering the crash is posted below, including the original link. Please take a moment to read the short version of how a good friend of ours was lost and what needs to happen now.


___________________________________________________________

POSTED AT: http://kob. com/article/stories/S448426. shtml?cat=0


Witness: Driver tried to flee fatal accident


A young motorcycle rider is dead after a collision Saturday with a van in Albuquerque.



An eyewitness says Calvin Wilson was riding his motorcycle at about 30 miles per hour on San Mateo before the collision. The 23-year-old man's bike collided into the side of a van carrying a family near Palo Duro.



Christine Neil, 55, was driving the van. Witnesses say her vehicle pulled right in front of the motorcycle.



"She didn't see him at all," eyewitness Liam Doyle said.



Doyle said onlookers rushed to the accident after hearing the crash. According to the man, Neil attempted to flee the scene.



"She probably lost it at the moment. She didn't know what to do," Doyle said.



Neil had four children riding with her in the van. Doyle said onlookers had to jump onto her vehicle to get the driver to stop.



"She took off. You could tell she was trying to book it out of here," Doyle said.



Police aren't charging the woman with leaving the scene of an accident since she did stay around. However, APD will forward the case to the district attorney's office.



___________________________________________________________

The first rendition of this article included a statement from the police that Calvin was not wearing his helmet. However, this has been corrected on all accounts and the statement retracted by the APD, as Calvin was found to be wearing his helmet during the accident. He died of trauma injuries including a torn aorta which bled out internally into his chest before they could save his life at UNMH. This is the same hospital and the same doctors where my life was saved. Bless them and their efforts to save our friend.


___________________________________________________________

Calvin's family will be pressing charges, but WE NEED HELP FROM RIDERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY to get on the Albuquerque District Attorney about keeping this case active. All too often, drivers like this get off without a slap on the hand because the case gets slid under the door. Calvin's Dad used to be a Sheriff, he knows first hand how the law in NM treats motorcycle accidents.... they don't. This lady needs to made an example out of, and a campaign to get drivers to watch out for motorcycles in NM is more important than ever. I am deeply saddened that a loss of a friend had to happen before a call to action such as this, I only wish I could have done something sooner.



NOW SOMETHING CAN BE DONE!

PLEASE take minute and email or call the DA's office. It might just save a life in the future. Together we can change the world.



2nd Judicial District Attorney
Kari Brandenburg, District Attorney
email: 2ndDA@da.state.nm.us

Contact AODA:
Phone: (505)827-3789

Thank you all for your help and support.



RIP CALVIN "CALLY CAL" WILSON

-Brittany