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BILL
I've been
riding bikes
since I was
16 years old
and always
figured that
I'd had my
one bad
accident,
after over
40 years of
riding. I've
toured New
Zealand,
ridden
several
times from
coast to
coast of
Canada and
the USA, and
toured all
of England
and Europe
over the
years. On
June 9th
2002 I left
Canada to
tour Italy
with some
riding
buddies. It
was arranged
by a rental
firm and the
highlight
was to be
our
attendance
at a road
race in
Italy that
was
sponsored by
Ducati. As I
got on the
plane Sunday
evening I
actually
mentioned to
my
associates
that I felt
uncomfortable
about this
particular
ride, and
warned the
others of
the dangers
of riding in
Italy, as
I'd ridden
through
Italy
several
years
earlier.
We arrived
in Italy on
the Monday
morning and
picked up 4
brand new
rental ST4
Ducatis. The
bike I was
given had
only 40
kilometres
on it as I
left the
parking lot
in Milan. We
rode for
approx. one
hour and
finally
exited the
high speed
Auto strata.
At this
point I had
a picture
taken, that
was to be
the last, of
my normal
life
situation.
It was a
beautiful
sunny hot
day as we
rode towards
Varsi. At
this point I
learnt the
reality of
the
expression
that your
life can
change in
less than a
second! All
I can
remember is
a white
truck
traveling in
the oncoming
lane appear
to cross the
centre line,
and then a
sickening
flash. Next
I was in the
air. I can
remember
thinking
that I was
going to get
run over by
another
vehicle. I
smashed the
back of my
helmet out
as I flipped
down the
highway! It
seemed like
it took
forever for
me to stop
sliding down
the asphalt.
When I did
finally stop
I
immediately
tried to get
up to get
myself off
the highway,
but I
couldn't
move and was
in
tremendous
pain up my
left side.
On looking
downwards I
realised
that my left
arm was
totally gone
and blood
was
literally
everywhere!
Next my
buddy was
there and
tried to
hold me
down, but he
suddenly
broke into
tears and
walked away,
saying don't
move Bill,
your hurt
real bad!
The next
thing I
remember
were 2
police
officers
leaning over
me, both in
tears, and
someone
wrapping
something
around my
left leg. At
this point I
was fully
conscious
but in total
shock. Next
it was into
an
ambulance,
with more
attendants
screaming at
me! I can
remember
telling them
that they
would have
to speak to
me in
English as I
didn't
understand
Italian.
From that
point on I
passed out,
and the next
thing I knew
was three
days later I
was in an
intensive
care ward in
Pavia, with
my wife next
to me. She'd
travelled to
Italy from
the west
coast of
Canada
thinking
that I
wasn't going
to live. I
was
naturally
drugged up
to the max.
and on the
Wed. my wife
told me that
I was
smashed up
pretty bad.
I told her
that I was
aware that
my arm was
gone but
then she
broke the
news to me,
that I'd
also lost my
left leg at
the hip, and
that my arm
was gone
from the
shoulder
joint! The
surgeons to
this day
can't
explain how
I survived,
with such a
large blood
lose at the
scene of the
accident! If
your still
with me, and
reading
this, the
story gets
better!
On the
Thurs.
evening the
21 year old
who was
driving the
truck that
hit me,
visited the
hospital to
meet my
wife, with
his mother
and a
translator.
He slipped
her a note
explaining
that he was
sorry for
the mishap.
The surgeon
who also
spoke some
English
explained to
my wife that
the first
doctor who
tended to me
and kept
giving me
blood until
they could
airlift me
to a Pavia
was the
father of
the young
man who'd
caused the
accident!
Small world!
I guess I
should have
stayed home
that week
and
purchased
some lottery
tickets! By
the
following
Sunday
they'd
stabilised
me, and I
was flown
back to a
hospital in
Canada, via
an air
ambulance.
The
following 4
months were
probably the
toughest
times I've
spent in my
life. I
nearly
suffered a
complete
break down
and was in
tears more
times than
not. Then
one day in
late Oct. I
was lying in
hospital
looking at
the ceiling,
and I
realised how
lucky I was
to still be
alive. You
suddenly
realise that
even a rainy
day can be
pretty good,
compared to
no days at
all! At this
point I
discharged
myself from
hospital and
started to
put my life
back
together
again. After
2 years I'm
still
relying on a
wheelchair
to get
about, but
am back to
building
both guitars
and banjos
again, a
long time
hobby and
passion. I
guess I'm
probably the
worlds only
one armed
banjo
builder!
Just
remember
life goes on
and
definitely
better to be
living on
this side of
the grass!
As per
motorcycles?
If anyone
has a
suggestion
of how I
could ride
again please
get in
touch!!
All the best
Bill Rickard
Canada
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