The family of a young motorcyclist seriously hurt in a crash near Hope, B.C., last week is hoping his horrifying ordeal can be a lesson to other motorists on the road.
Gage Turner is currently in hospital recovering from the April 12 collision north of Hope that left him with multiple broken bones and a brain bleed.
“He has a shattered right leg, he had a compound fracture with his right femur, broken wrists, broken forearms, broken rib, fractures to the left side of his orbital bone, one near his nose, a brain bleed and blood clots in his lungs,” his father Todd Turner explained.
“Also the arteries in his neck were damaged from the impact.”
Gage was placed on life support, and his condition has since improved. His breathing tube has been removed, and Todd said he’s regained consciousness and appears to have his cognitive functions intact.
The 19-year-old was an experienced rider, who got on his first motorbike at age four.
“The first bike I put him on actually I put training wheels on it on the front lawn and I ran behind him with a cord to pull the kill switch in case he got out of control,” his father said.
“He has been on motorcycles all his life. So it wasn’t like he got onto a bike and he was clueless.”
RCMP Highway Patrol says Gage’s bike collided with the back of a sedan.
With the summer motorcycle season incoming, his father says he wants everyone on the road to be more aware of the vehicles which can often be harder to see.
“People just don’t see motorcycles on the road, and at the end of the day, as I tell my kids, there’s only one you and you can’t be replaced, so put your head on a swivel.
“On the flip side, when you are in a car or a vehicle you should be thinking the same thing because you can’t see motorcycles.”
Word of Gage’s injuries shocked the tight-knit community of Hope, with supporters quickly organizing a car show fundraiser for the young man.
Hot rods and classic cars cruised along Highway 1 on Thursday, with friends and family using Gage’s passion for cars as an engine to build support.
“(He’s) a generous, caring, humourous kid in the community,” organizer Mackenzie St. Dennis said.
“An actual pillar to Hope. Especially amongst the young community. He’s organized his own car shows, he’s a huge part of Brigade Days.”
The event and a GoFundMe campaign have, together, raised more than $30,000 for the family.
“I don’t think words could quite explain how I felt. The energy that was around me, honestly I was speechless,” Todd said.
“Gage is a really good kid, and with everybody coming around it validates all the good things we think about him.”
The family said Gage has a long road to recovery ahead of him.
But they say the teen’s passion and fighting spirit will be a big help in the months ahead.
“He’s one of the strongest people I know,” Todd said.
“And he is very, very driven and is super stubborn, too, and I think that all helps him to continue pushing on.”