Aaron Jacot

[kastart]

I will do my best to relay the information that I know regarding this accident. Aaron is a Senior who will be graduating in a couple of months. Last week while riding at a friends home track, he crashed. Some that were there say he wasn't going very fast, however he suffered some pretty serious injuries, one of which was a broken back and had to be airlifted to Harborview hospital in Seattle. Right after the accident he couldn't feel or move his legs and as of today, he still has not regained any feeling or movement. He had surgery on Sunday for his back and apparently they put quite a bit of hardware to repair the damage. He also has a broken sternum, punctured lung, and broken wrist, I'm unaware of any other injuries but my information is being passed down to me from his friends, so I'm not sure.
Obviously, he and his family are need of a lot of prayer. Also his friends and classmates. I also know the couple who own the track where he crashed and they are just devastated. Everyone around here is praying for nothing less than a full recovery for Aaron.

[char393]

Wow, we will definitely keep Aaron, his family and friends and the track owners in our thoughts and prayers.

[kastart]

My son just talked to a friend who heard that the news is not good for Aaron. MRI showed some serious damage to his spinal cord. Before I heard he had a 50/50 chance of regaining feeling, now its zero to 5% chance. I can't even begin to imagine what him and his family must be going through.

[Tatonka]

Our thoughts and prayers are with Aaron and his family right now.

kastart - If you can help us out with any more details or perhaps get the family to complete an injured rider intake form that would help us with our efforts to assist them immensely. I'm sure they are focused on one thing & one thing only at this time. The welfare and health of their son is everything.

BV

[kastart]

I will do all that I can to get the information from or to the family so that they can get all the support and help they will obviously need.

[Gatlin5]

Kerry,

Thanks for the update on Aaron, I am so sorry to hear of yet another young man having to go through this challenge.

Our thoughts and prayers will be with Aaron, his family and friends.

[KTMissouri]

Wow, that sounds like a very bad situation. Please get us the form so that we can get in contact and see what we can do to help.

I will certainly keep Aaron in my thoughts and prayers.

[50ccMoM]

I will definitely keep Aaron, his family and friends in my prayers.:cry:

[TwinTurbos]

Please let Aaron and his family know that we are all thinking of them and are here to support them.

[kastart]

I was talking with a friend who heard that Aaron is out of the hospital and in rehabilitation. I have not been able to personally get in touch with him or his family, but have passed on the riderdown.org information so hopefully they will be in touch someway sooner or later. Word is he is doing good and has a positive attitude.

Kerry

[GaMotoGirl]

I am so happy to hear that he is out of the hospital. Aaron and his family are in my prayers. So glad to hear about his outlook, that will help immensly in the future.

[688MOM]

To Aaron and his family...... My daughter Amanda crashed March 11th and is still fighting paralysis after her broken back..... Our Neurosurgeon was trying to get our daughter into The Northern Nevada Shriner's Hospital in Sacramento, California next to UCDavis, even though she is 20 years old. Unfortunately, they would not accept her as she is almost 21 years as of October.....

Anyway, getting to my point, the Shriner's will take any kid under the age of 18 years old and the Neurosurgeon said they are the best on the West Coast as far as Spinal Cord Injuries for children and teens...... If you are interested, I know a gentleman in Reno, Nv that is a Shriner that can help get you in.... If you are accepted, there is not charge to the family, they will even pay for airline, make arrangement to pick you up from airport and offer free living arrangments to the parent(s) at the Hospital. They get the proper equipment needed for the kid, again at no charge. They do this for the kids, not for the buck.... If you will be there for a while, they offer schooling at the hospital so the kid can continue their education as well as get better. Please let me know if you are interested and if you are unsure ask your surgeon as they should be aware of this Wonderful Hospital..... They are leading the way for Spinal Cord Injuries with new technology that is not used at a normal hospital....

Our prayers are with you Aaron and your family.

[Ajacot59]

I would like to say thank you ALL for the prayers. I am Aaron Jacot... i don't know really what to say other then im doing well... im in the final stages of rehab @ harbor view medical center in Seattle... I've been here for 3weeks going on 4... my set release date is the 29th of august but it maybe pushed back a day or two because i got ill 2 days after i got here... any way... all is fixed inside me... for the most part any way :-)... my wrist and sternum are fixed... my spinal injury is a T-2 to T-6... i am a chest down paraplegic... but spirits are high and im doing great...

i guess I'll go on to tell you everything...

The Accident: Saturday April 21st i had just gotten off work to go ride with a couple buddies at his aunt and uncles track... now just to tell you im not the BEST big jump track rider... im more trail rider but i was getting comfortable with most of the jumps minus he double-double and the down hill... anyway we had just got back to riding after taking a break and i before i knew it i was 2nd gear pin'd about to hit the first double... so my freak out instincts kicked in and i locked my breaks half way up the jump and went over the handle bars.... i was conscious the whole time... (i had just bought a BRAND NEW helmet) thank god... and my buddies i was riding with where both in EMT/PSO (public safety occupation) class and knew now to mess with me( thank you SO much Preston and Matt )... i remember the look on there faces when i told em i couldn't feel them taking off my boots :-(... i told the EMTs there that i thought i had broken some ribs and my right wrist... i was right about the wrist... instead of ribs it was a sternum and bruised lungs... any way 2 days in ICU and 6 more on the "get well soon" floor in Seattle, i moved to Bainbridge island health and rehab (because i wasn't able to go to the rehab floor cause of my broken wrist) 3 months at the rehab place i was able to go back to harbor view for 4 weeks and then back home (in 3 days)

i think thats about that... i never type this much :-D but all in all im doing good ready to go back home and get back on the trails ( just on an ATV this time)

but again thanks to EVERYONE

-Aaron Jacot

[mark975]

Hi Aaron,

So sorry to hear about your accident but you seem to have a great attitude. I wanted to let you know that Mike Utley of the Detroit Lions suffered a spinal cord injury in 1991 and is having his yearly bike tour in Wenatchee, Washington on September 29th. I don’t know if this is anywhere near where you are but it sounds like a lot of fun. Mike rides a really cool handcycle. James Marshall also just got one of these. Mike trains like a wild man and continues to prove the “experts” wrong on the recovery spinal cords can make even 16 years after his injury. Mike’s website is www.mikeutley.org. Take care and keep us up to date with how you are doing.

Vikki Smedley

[jeremy68mom]

Aaron, So glad you're doing good and continuing rehab. We've kept up with your progress since your accident. Jeremy's injury was a little over 2 years ago and he's a C5/C6 quad (for now.) If you ever need any one to talk with or just compare rehab notes, please get in touch with us. Jeremy is at Health South right now preparing to work on the autoambulator. He started college yesterday but will take courses online this fall so that he can continue therapy. Keep up the great work. It will be great to be home.

[Ajacot59]

thanks so much... the funny thing is today as a rec. therapy trip i went and tried out a hand bike today and had a blast!

thank you for that information about mike utley that is amazing... and Wenatchee is about 3-4 hours away so not a problem!

jeremy68mom thats great! i hope he does good in school... i wasn't the greatest student in high school but i got through it... i was suppose to attend the auto/diesel program threw UTI in phoenix ( class started Monday ) but dew to the circumstances its probly going to be a more local school that attend for the same automotive program

[Tatonka]

Aaron, I just wanted to send a note and see how things are going for you? How's that hand bike working out for you? From what I can tell those are a heck of a workout!! :yikes

Have you gotten enrolled in an auto/tech program yet? Man, I don't know how they do anything with these new cars - they make no sense to me anymore with all the computer stuff in there!!

Take care and let us know if there is anything that RDF can help with. :thumb