‘Don’t drink and drive’: Construction worker injured by suspected impaired driver speaks out

Lying in a hospital bed at St. John’s Rehab, Graeme Reed has a message he recorded especially for Global News Toronto viewers.

His wife Taylor had done an interview about the suffering she and her husband have been through since the night Graeme was struck by a suspected impaired driver. The 37-year-old then recorded a brief video, which his wife then shared with us.

In the video, Reed thanks the hundreds of people who have generously donated to a GoFundMe to help cover expenses incurred by lost wages, rehabilitation and hospital transfers. More than $43,000 has been raised so far. Reed finishes the 25-second video by saying, “From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much. And just don’t drink and drive.”

It has been a painful three-and-a-half weeks since that morning on Feb. 10 when Taylor learned her husband, a labour foreman with Ellis Don, had been struck by an SUV while standing on the shoulder in a construction site at the side of the Allen Expressway, near Glencairn Avenue.

“The Durham police came to our door in Bowmanville at four o’clock in the morning and I heard my dogs going crazy and I thought, ‘It’s so strange for him to be home this early,'” Taylor recalled.

She looked through her doorbell camera and saw that it was police at her door.

Taylor later learned that Graeme had been struck by a vehicle and had been taken to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

“The doctor called me when I was 10 minutes out from the hospital and they just said to brace yourself because he was in really rough shape and he had lost a lot of blood and they were working to stabilize him,” she said, choking back tears.

She later found out that the driver of the Volvo SUV that struck her husband was accused of driving while impaired.

“I feel a lot of numbness and I feel a lot of anger, frustration, sadness,” Taylor explained. “To know that someone’s entertainment and going out and doing what they were doing was more important than my husband coming home safely, it’s just a punch.”

Taylor said there are so many other options, including taxis, Ubers or just calling a friend or family member.

Taylor said people keep telling her how lucky they are that Graeme is still here and while she agrees, she said the incident should never have happened.

“We shouldn’t be in this position and we didn’t need to be, either. Graeme should have come home from work. He hasn’t been home in over 24 days and we don’t know when he’s going to come home.”

Graeme suffered a concussion, a broken pelvis and hip, and a broken knee. He’s also undergone three surgeries and it’s likely he’ll need further operations. He was transferred to St. John’s Rehab last week after 20 days at Sunnybrook.

Taylor says her husband is also speaking to social workers because he’s frustrated that he cannot sleep nor use his legs.

The couple, who were married last September, have been forced to give up their Bowmanville rental home and move in with Taylor’s parents because they can’t afford to keep their own place and need an accessible home.

“For his quality of life, we need to make those sacrifices and we’re very fortunate my parents are able to do that for us.”

Taylor explained that they also won’t be pursuing compensation through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board as their lawyer has advised them that would prevent them from filing a civil suit against the driver.

Taylor said it’s unclear how long Graeme’s recovery will be but has been told he won’t be able to walk on his left leg until at least May.

“It’s not how we pictured our first year of marriage to go. Like many newlyweds, we had plans to start our own family, get a home one day and those things have all been put on pause now so we can focus on Graeme’s healing and recovery,” Taylor said.

The accused, Nelson Jacob Louis, 34, has been charged with impaired operation of a conveyance causing bodily harm, impaired operation of a conveyance exceeding blood alcohol concentration and carrying a concealed weapon. He is scheduled to appear in Toronto North Courts on March 29.