The Accident
Nigel Stout was the third cyclist in the Copperhill group to reach Kevin. The following is Nigel’s account, via email on July 3:
The 10 of us started out from Pete’s Coffee in Valencia for a 55 mile bicycle ride. As we headed onto Sierra Highway going north from the bike path at Soledad, the group started to split up as the stronger riders including Kevin pulled away from the rest. Kevin being a
strong rider and always pushing and challenging himself, he was up front followed by Vince. I caught up to Vince and stayed with him and we both caught up to Kevin when he slowed down at Vasquez Cyn. The three of us took off and a few miles into the climb I was dropped by the stronger Kevin and Vince. The last I saw of them they were wheel to wheel climbing up Sierra.
I was then passed by Ryan House and Steve’s friend Pete. I was about 5-7 miles north of Le Chene’s restaurant when I looked up on the rise and saw cars stopped on both sides of Sierra Highway and riders stopped on the side of the road, my heart dropped and I road as fast as I could to get there. I jumped off the bike and saw Kevin lying on the side of the road perpendicular to Sierra Highway with his head in the ditch. There was the entire mirror of a SUV or truck next to him that had broken off the vehicle that hit him. Ryan and one of the motorist were on the phone with police and paramedics. I dropped to my knee and started praying for Kevin. He was lying there by himself and I put my hand on his hand and prayed again for him. He had massive head injuries and it looked like his helmet was the only thing holding the top of his head in place. Kevin was talking and was coherent and conscious. He told me that he could not feel or move his legs. He was in a lot of pain, particularly his mid section. I kept talking to Kevin and asking him how he was doing. He kept responding. It seemed like a long time before the paramedics got to the scene, but it was probably only 15-20 minutes. We were in a pretty remote location though. As the paramedics were on scene the rest of the group road up. The paramedics stabilized Kevin, loaded him into the vehicle and drove him about 150 yards down Sierra where a helicopter took him to USC medical center.
Some of us got rides back to Pete’s and others road their bikes. Steve & Leanne Souisa, Rhonda, and I drove down to USC to be with Tiffany and their family. No one in our group saw Kevin get hit; Vince must have pulled away from Kevin, as Vince was waiting for us up ahead, knowing nothing of the accident at the time.
It seems Kevin was hit from behind and probably didn’t know what hit him. We didn’t see the damage to the vehicle that hit him. The accident probably happened at around 7:35-7:45 a.m.
Please pray for Kevin that God will heal him and that he will walk and ride again.
Leave a comment
No trackbacks yet.
About this Blog
On the morning of Friday, July 3, while cycling in the SCV with friends, Kevin was struck by a fast-moving vehicle. He was airlifted by helicopter for attention to his multiple injuries, including damage to his spine. This blog is for Kevin's family, friends, and colleagues, who are all praying for him and rallying to his side during this time of trial. Please watch this site for upcoming information on how you can help Kevin recover.
9:33 AM on July 4th, 2009
The Hadfield’s, Avery’s, Farrar’s and Price’s are all praying for you.
May you feel the arms of your loving Father wrapped around you at this time, and you can rest in His comfort and peace.
We love you all
12:28 PM on July 4th, 2009
We love you guys and will continue to pray
11:50 PM on July 4th, 2009
10:pm on July 4th, 2009. Hey this is Kevin’s Dad here. I just wanted to take a moment and thank the people at the Copper Hill Church that put this together. It is a great communication tool. I also want to thank the Highway Patrol, Fire Departments, Paramedics and the Helicopter transport for there fast actions in saving my sons life. Having a younger brother that went through a similar accident on a motorcycle many years ago, needless to say when I go the call from Tiff, i freaked out. We left Kevin tonight about 10pm. He was resting and I am sure it was much needed. From seeing him yesterday going into surgery for 12 hours and seeing him today it has convinced me that praying really works. I thank God for his speedy work in stabilizing our son. His Mother and I are blessed that he is alive, stable and breathing on his own. They removed his respirator tube from his mouth today and his voice was clear and normal. He was cracking jokes today in the ICU enjoying his ice chips. He is stable but still in critical condition. The swelling on his head has gone down dramatically and from seeing him at 2:30 am this morning coming out of surgery to what we saw to today at 11 am is truly a work of God. We and the doctors are hopeful that each day he will get stronger and better. We hope him to have a speedy recovery knowing that it will take some time. Many thanks to all the family, friends and others that showed up to the hospital yesterday. I believe at one time we had 30 people in the waiting room. Tiffany has been the most incredible strong woman thru this ordeal. She does need some sleep though. God Bless to all of you that have been praying for Kevin and Tiffany. My thanks to [the medical team at USC] that did a great job putting Kevin back together. I will never forget you. God Bless, Mark Mather
12:07 AM on July 5th, 2009
In addition the doctors told us today that Kevin has two metal bars and twelve screws in is back supporting his spine. He DOES have sensation feeling in his legs but at this time can not move his legs or feet. We pray as he progressively gets better and the swelling goes down, this may change. Also thanks to the friends and family that brought in the great food, drinks, etc. Are waiting room turned into a kinda hotel suite. Thanks to Janice and Greg for being there so many hours with us and praying with us for Kevin and Tiff. It is definetley working.
7:38 AM on July 5th, 2009
Thnx Mark for the updates. Know that we are praying for Kevin as well as you and Tiffany and the rest of your extended family. When tragedy like this strikes we begin to realize how strong is the family of God and how deep is our love and admiration for Kevin. Hang in there we are all praying and leaning on God’s great strength.
Lamentations 3:19 The thought of my suffering and homelessness
is bitter beyond words.
20 I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.
21 Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:
22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
23 Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”
25 The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.
12:06 PM on July 5th, 2009
Dear Kevin, Tiffany and Family,
We heard about your accident from our son, Brandon (you all call him Chandler). First off we want to say thank you the up-date. We have been praying for and thinking about all of you since Brandon told of the accident on Friday. So many circles over lap in the SCV and we have heard bits and pieces from many of our friends and our son as well, but this is the first real good update we have seen, thank you.
Please know that our family is praying for you and believe in the mighty power of our Lord’s healing hand!!
Ron and Nola
12:12 PM on July 5th, 2009
Dear Kevin and Tiffany and Family,
We have been praying for you since we heard about the accident. May the God of all comfort be your strength.
Jeff (Sr.) and Carol
12:57 PM on July 5th, 2009
Dear Kevin, Tiffany and Family,
We are all praying for Kevin’s recovery. It is a terrible tragedy, but we are pleased that Kevin is still with us; we lost a good friend Monday in a similar incident in Bakersfield. It is great to see that Kevin has a great church family too.
Ron and family.
3:40 PM on July 5th, 2009
Tiffany and family. Know that the God who created you will not leave you nor forsake you. Pete and I will continue to pray.
Diana
7:11 PM on July 5th, 2009
Nobody probably knows me but ill get my church to pray for kevin, i will continue to and i pray that he gets better and resumes to his life
11:43 PM on July 5th, 2009
May God provide you all with comfort and a full recovery for Kevin. We serve an amazing God- He can do all things! My heart also goes out to the person who hit Kevin. Not knowing all the details, I am sure that this is very difficult to go through. I pray for peace all the way around and that everyone comes through this knowing our Savior provides grace and mercy in all situations. WIth love <3
11:57 AM on July 6th, 2009
I head the news about Kevin from Ryan House and my heart drop’t. I’ve only had the chance to ride with Kevin once or twice and can only imagine the impact had on not only his family but the tons of friends a guy like him has. My thoughts and prayers go out to Kevin and his family…
1:28 PM on July 6th, 2009
Prayed for your recovery just now. May the Lord be near you.
1:44 PM on July 6th, 2009
We love you all and are praying everyday for his recovery. We think of you every minute.
Korie, Leo, Luke & Baby Logan
7:31 PM on July 6th, 2009
We wish you the best of luck and our prayers are with you
Diane Bourgholtzer
10:00 PM on July 6th, 2009
Kevin and Tiffany, we are praying daily for you, for strength, faith, hope, healing and for a miracle by the power of the Holy Spirit!
10:12 PM on July 6th, 2009
Kevin, Tiffany and Family:
My thoughts and prayers are with you continuosly as everyday brings new hope! I love you all
11:55 PM on July 6th, 2009
You don’t know me but I heard of your accident through Kellie Nordhagen. Please know my thought and prayers are with you, Kevin and your family. God Bless you and strengthen you during your recovery. I will continue to follow your progress.
5:39 AM on July 7th, 2009
Tiffany and Family,
My thoughts and prayers are with you. Please don’t hesitate to call if there is anything I can do. God works his miracles. I know that with all the love and support that you have he will do what he needs to do.
Love you,
Cheryl
7:08 AM on July 7th, 2009
Great to know that you have such wonderful friends & support. We will be praying for you as you go through the recovery process may God bless you every step of the way. (Your cousin and brother & sister in Christ.)
9:14 AM on July 7th, 2009
Both Peter and I have been in prayer for Kevin,Tiffany and the entire family.
I originally met Tiffany through a Womens study group led by Cathy Daniels and I was
encouraged by this young wifes commitment to being a Godly wife. I am not surprised that she has been a source of both strength and comfort to her husband and family at this time.
Our God is an awesome God. Faithful and merciful,His glory is evident in the midst
of this.Praise to God for Tiffany and her unyielding confidence in the Lord.
In His Love… Sandra.
8:11 PM on July 7th, 2009
Kevin,
We were shocked to hear that a cyclist had been hit on Sierra Hwy, a road my husband and fellow AV cyclist friends ride quite often…
I know it’s impossible to imagine now- you just want to skip ahead a year and be back to normal life- but in a year, you will be there. You will be better, back to riding, enjoying life, and all of this will seem like just a bad dream. You have to believe it… through the difficult recovery you’re facing, every moment, you have to believe you WILL get there… say it to your self over and over… You will get there. Every day is a victory for you.
Tiffany- you can do this, too. Believe it. Be Kevin’s cheerleader through it… cheer him on through every physical therapy session… it will help!! Be good to your self too- don’t forget to eat!
You can do it, Kevin!!! Good luck and God Bless you!
8:27 AM on July 8th, 2009
Kevin and Tiffany, we are so thankful for all that God has done thus far and will continue to pray with you and for you for the day, weeks, and months ahead. We love you
Ryan and Becky Schmidt
10:46 AM on July 8th, 2009
I had recently begun to ride w steve’s group. Great bunch of guys. This day started off as any other. Beautiful morning and a great day to ride. As we began our climb up sierra hwy the group started to separate some. As we neared the top, i could see a couple guys on the side of the road. “oh, they got a flat,” i thought, “i’ll pass by, ask if they need anything, and meet them at the top.”
Boy, I didnt expect what i came upon. I was second cyclist upon the scene. Ryan was already there and a couple of cars had pulled over. It was all so surreal. Kevin was conscious, [in bad shape], laying there motionless. It seemed like forever for the paramedics to get there. All on the scene were so supportive and concerned and were doing whatever they could to make kevin feel at ease and comfortable while waiting for the paramedics.
When Kevin said he couldnt feel or move his legs, i couldnt believe it. are you kidding me? Is this really this young strong guy’s fate?
As they airlifted kevin to USC, i kept thinking he’ll be allright. You always hear of altheletes who get severly injured, cant move, but in a few days the swelling goes down and they start to recover.
Not a day goes by where i dont think about — why kevin? It could have been any one of us. All the factors that came together that am to put him at that spot of the point of impact.
My family and friends think of kevin every day. We keep waiting for “he can feel his legs. He can move.” For some reason, I just know that he’s going to be ok. not that its going to be easy or a long road, but i just know he’s going to be ok. He has a great support and faith.
If there’s anything the giammanco’s can do to help, pls dont hesitate to contact us. our thoughts are with kevin and his family.
1:54 PM on July 8th, 2009
Bob and I are in prayer for you Kevin, for you Tiffany, for you Janice and Greg and Mr. and Mrs. Mather. We are indeed sustained by a God who “is too wise to make mistakes and too good to be unkind.” His ways are higher than our ways, as are His thoughts and purposes and yet His thoughts for us outnumber the sand. He will be glorified through all of this and He will bring the most good out of all of this in you. Our hearts and love are extended to you all in the deepest way and you can depend on the absolulte assurance that our LORD is hearing and working and that “Nothing!!! is impossible for God!” and “Everything is possible for him who believes!” quoting Jesus Himself! We love you. Love, Bob and Rachel Phillipps
2:45 PM on July 8th, 2009
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” Psalm 46
Were it not for the infinite love, the absolute sovereignty, and limitless power of our loving Father, we would be tempted to fear. For a moment on Friday, it felt as though the earth had given way. How quickly the Holy Spirit reminded us that He was with Kevin and that just as He sustained Kevin’s every breath before the accident, He was sustaining Kevin’s next breath and heartbeat as we rushed to be with Tiffany at USC Medical Center. We know that as much as we love Kevin and Tiffany, God’s love is infinite in depth and wisdom.
Our loving Father has not only been present, but so near that even the slightest whisper has reached Him. We are thankful for the comfort and peace that only He can give. We praise God sparing not only Kevin’s life, but also preventing brain injury. We are in awe of the strength Tiffany is drawing from her heavenly Father. We are so proud of her ~ the pressure has not dimmed her faith; rather the dark circumstances have made God’s love and power shine brilliantly.
We love seeing Kevin’s wonderful sense of humor and playful, tender love for Tiffany as we spend time together. We continue to pray without ceasing as we know we serve the God who spoke the world into being, who parted the Red Sea, who provided manna in the wilderness, who empowered His servants to slay giants, who shuts the mouths of lions, who rescued His servants from a fiery furnace, who was born of a virgin, who suffered, died, and rose again so that we could experience newness of life. Our redeeming God is at work ~ the final chapter is not written.
“If we see only the things of time, and forget the things of eternity, we perish, our faith withers and we become weak and hopeless. We need vision for life, vision for prayer, continual undimmed vision, if we are to be those on whom our God can count for anything, any time, anywhere.” Amy Carmichael
Please pray for us:
• Tiff and Kev both need sleep.
• We are asking for miraculous healing of Kev’s legs.
• Comfort, strength, faith, and hope.
• Peace and discernment for the next steps.
We love you all,
Gregg & Janice
8:43 AM on July 11th, 2009
Dear Gentry & Mather Families,
Know that we are praying for you all.
Love, Layne and Corinne