WFAA Story on Michael Tripp McNair’s Wreck

The story above is by WFAA’s Craig Civale. If anyone wants to use the photos on the blog here feel free. I wish I had some better photos to share. Guess I don’t! If we only knew that photo of him at Lemmon Lake among a bunch of ramshackle old Depression era shacks were to one day end up on Channel 8. Wow. Thanks WFAA and Craig Civale for doing a story about Michael. It means a lot to many.

I went to Baylor yesterday evening to visit Michael. He’s in a medically induced coma. His ICU room on the 4th floor faces southeast with large bay windows. Spread before me like some Reveau Bassett mural I could see some of the places we rode together. The Santa Fe Trestle Trail, Wonderview, the water tower marking the wastewater plant, McCommas Bluff and in between all that,the mass of green that people call the Great Trinity Forest. It was a strange feeling seeing it, with my ears listening to the muted echoes of a breathing machine in the background, the beeps and pops of computerized machines displaying his vital signs like a wild afternoon on the Greek stockmarket. Surreal.

I updated the original post from yesterday on how someone can help the McNair family. I’ll post it again here. The link below goes to a secure website setup for donations to the family, started by the friends of the McNair Family http://mcnairfamily.chipin.com/medical-and-incidental-expenses-for-the-mcnair-family

Their website reads:

As you may know, the McNair family was rocked at its core yesterday morning when Michael, an avid and experienced cyclist, was struck by a car while riding his bicycle.

Michael survived the accident, but is in the ICU with fractures to his neck, back, all the ribs on his left side, his hip and his pelvis in multiple places – his lung was punctured by the broken ribs and his spleen was also lacerated in the collision. Due to the severity of his injuries, he remains sedated and on a ventilator, unable to breathe on his own. At this point in time, his recovery is expected to be a very long and difficult one.

Michael has always been a pillar of strength and support for his family – Heather and all 3 kids deal with the day to day effects of mitochondrial disease, a multi-system genetic disorder that affects them all in varying degrees of severity. Through all the medical trials, tribulations and uncertainty, Michael has been an unending cheerleader for the family – keeping them looking forward when the road is difficult. He is also actively involved with Make a Wish – helping to grant the wishes of other children who are facing the reality of a life-threatening illness. Now it is time for us to rally around him.

Needless to say, mom, Heather, and the kids, Chase, Madison and Abigail are reeling from this, both with what it means for their husband/dad, and what it is going to mean for the family long term.

Your prayers are greatly appreciated, but in the long term, your financial support will help them through what is undoubtedly one of the scariest situations any family member could imagine. The future is going to be uncertain as it is, let’s help them concentrate on recovering and bringing Dad home, and not on the financial pressures associated with a catastrophic injury.

Every bit helps… thank you for your generosity and your prayers.

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I met Mike’s wife Heather and their son Chance yesterday. They are really nice people who have been down a road similar to this before with Michael’s Crohn’s disease. I had to bite my lip a little though when his son said they planned on using his motorized wheelchair for his father. Well. You know. That goes right to your core there.  

His injuries draw a strong parallel to the story of golf analyst David Feherty. In 2008 he wrote an article for D Magazine about his wreck. He was hit in front of the Bed Bath and Beyond on Park Lane at Greenville Avenue and joked that he was hit so hard that he ended up in the “Beyond” part. His story provides a little humor to a dark chapter in anyone’s life. It can be read here David Feherty Got Hit By A Truck And Lived To Tell About It
 
Michael has volunteered so much of his own personal time and talents for DART and the city government with bike related issues and mass transit I hope they hatch a plan to help in some way. Few people do so much as a private citizen as Michael McNair. 

Michael’s bike on left with his friend Chandra on right

Bike commuters take a more blue collar approach to cycling than other disciplines on two wheels. Where road cyclists often look for lightweight bikes and gear to go faster….commuter cyclists focus more on durability and strength of parts. Micheal is an expert at blending his knowledge of components into the best bike possible. He carries tools, tools to fix the tools and emergency supplies when all that fails. He even carries coffee making supplies on his bike.

Just a stunning jolt to everyone that a cyclist so prepared can be injured in this way.


This is just the beginning of a long road to recovery. A road I know one day he will ride away on, with a bike.