I never expected anything to go wrong, but it did

My husband, Ben, and I were participating in the Eastern North Carolina MS Ride. It was a two day, 200 mile event. Early in the ride, we jumped into a pace line, which proved to be a terrible mistake.
My husband, Ben, and I were participating in the Eastern North Carolina MS Ride. It was a two day, 200 mile event. Early in the ride, we jumped into a pace line, which proved to be a terrible mistake. Almost immediately, the line in front of Ben slowed down and caused me to hit Ben's back wheel. I collided with the ground, head-first, at more than 20 mph.

A police officer called for an ambulance and I was taken to the local hospital. Ben was with me the entire time, and because of my Road ID, he was able to contact family members to let them know what had happened. After an initial assessment of my injuries, I was life-flighted to the regional hospital trauma center. My major injuries included a concussion, a subdural hematoma, and a broken right eye orbital.

Here is what I have learned from this terrible accident:  1. Without my helmet, I probably wouldn't be alive today.  2. Without my Road ID, Ben would not have been able to immediately contact our family.  3. Without my sunglasses, I probably wouldn't have vision in my right eye. Therefore, always wear a helmet, always wear a Road ID, and get a pair of glasses with multiple lenses to protect your eyes. Ben and I had always prepared for the worst, never expecting something like that to happen. This time, unfortunately, it did.
 
Update: After two months, I'm still more tired than usual and have, only recently, stopped experiencing dizziness.  I am now wearing my Road ID anytime I leave the house...just in case.

Thanks again.

- Elizabeth .F from Raleigh, NC