There have been a variety of questions and just to make sure everyone has the same info regarding details.
On Thurs, June 18, Steve was in a motorcycle accident while on a motorcycle trip with his younger brother, Mike. They left Ohio on Wednesday and were in North Carolina when the accident occurred. Mike was behind Steve but did not see the accident. It’s not yet entirely clear how the crash happened. There was no apparent involvement from other vehicles on the road. The road was paved, and clear. It’s possible the crash happened when Steve was trying to navigate a corner. Mike came upon Steve with the motorcycle wrecked and Steve lying in a ditch. Medics on the scene made the decision to life-flight him to the nearest trauma hospital, in Asheville, North Carolina.
Michelle is in Asheville, with Steve’s older and younger brother. The kids are being taken care of by family in Dayton, Ohio.
Outpourings or prayer and requests to help are coming from all over. I know it’s hard–for all of us–to not have definitive answers or to not have anything tangible to offer.
It is clear that whatever the long term prognosis, this will be a long road for all of them. The question of support will, I think, be a question of long term support from the family and extended community as time goes on.
Right now Miche’s focus is on prayer, pouring out all her love to Steve, and getting clear on his long term prognosis… and that will simply take time… His spinal cord is still likely in shock; he has another surgery in a week; he needs to heal from both surgeries; and then rehab. My sense is that questions of definitive prognosis will unfold over the next several weeks.
And… a 10% chance of regaining function in his legs is still 10%. Steve is young, healthy, strong, and has a shot.
I do not want to offer cheap words of comfort… but we all know that Steve and Miche both have an extraordinary ability to create surprising goodness out of tragedy; they have a deep and living faith that will serve them in the coming weeks.
May the God of all comfort also be with each of you as you’re praying, grieving this news, and hoping for Steve.
- Sean