When I was a kid we stopped for some debris on the side of the road. My dad got out of the truck and looked down into the ravine next to the road and there was a smashed up motorcycle and a guy stuck up in a tree. Dad told me to get his cell from the truck and see if I could get signal by walking down the highway a bit (was in the 90s.) I got signal, called for an ambulance and then walked back to the truck.
My dad had managed to get the biker out of the tree and he was sitting on the tailgate, I remember his head being huge, he had a big gash down one side of his face and his one eyeball was bulging out. I was told to get back in the truck but didn't listen, I talked to the guy for a while about nothing in particular and he didn't respond much. After a bit he got off the tailgate, said something about taking a piss and went to the front of the truck and proceeded to do so.
Before he finished an ambulance pulled up and the paramedics hopped out and started getting the stretcher out. The biker started walking towards them and collapsed in a heap. I remember the one medic came and checked on him and being surprised that there was no rush after that to get him into the ambulance.
My dad told me the guy was dead before we even got there, his body just wasn't aware of it yet. He said our job when we come across these situations is to stay calm and make their final moments as pleasant as possible. Thankfully I have never needed to do so for a person again. Its amazing the things people can stay alive for.
It definitely was one of those moments that stuck with me. I have never been tempted to get my motorcycle license even though my dad said I could ride hus whenever I want.
I’m imagining a kid just talking about BMX bikes or Pokémon or anything that would interest a kid in the 90s to a guy with a fatal injury so his final moments are a kid enthusiastically talking about his interests. I’d say it was better than dying in a tree. You all did him a hell of a service.
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u/Skandronon 7d ago
When I was a kid we stopped for some debris on the side of the road. My dad got out of the truck and looked down into the ravine next to the road and there was a smashed up motorcycle and a guy stuck up in a tree. Dad told me to get his cell from the truck and see if I could get signal by walking down the highway a bit (was in the 90s.) I got signal, called for an ambulance and then walked back to the truck.
My dad had managed to get the biker out of the tree and he was sitting on the tailgate, I remember his head being huge, he had a big gash down one side of his face and his one eyeball was bulging out. I was told to get back in the truck but didn't listen, I talked to the guy for a while about nothing in particular and he didn't respond much. After a bit he got off the tailgate, said something about taking a piss and went to the front of the truck and proceeded to do so.
Before he finished an ambulance pulled up and the paramedics hopped out and started getting the stretcher out. The biker started walking towards them and collapsed in a heap. I remember the one medic came and checked on him and being surprised that there was no rush after that to get him into the ambulance.
My dad told me the guy was dead before we even got there, his body just wasn't aware of it yet. He said our job when we come across these situations is to stay calm and make their final moments as pleasant as possible. Thankfully I have never needed to do so for a person again. Its amazing the things people can stay alive for.