Neil Myers

How one man’s love of biking practically killed him, however in the end saved him.

On June 2, Neil Myers will embark on a one-of-a-kind journey via the center of L.A. as a participant within the first annual Herbalife24 Triathlon Los Angeles.

The race will take Neil from Venice Seaside via Mid-Metropolis and at last to DTLA, however the highway that introduced Neil to that beginning line was far longer and far tougher.

Ever since his fifty fifth birthday, Neil has competed in over 20 triathlons throughout the nation, successful main races in California and New York.

Neil’s ardour for racing pushed him to continuously prepare, which is what introduced him to Gibraltar Highway in Santa Barbara on August 4, 2018.

Out for a journey on a sunny day, Neil was coming down a steep highway at 35 mph when he turned a nook and met an oncoming truck in his lane.

With no time to react, Neil went via the truck’s windshield, fracturing his cranium, each legs, seven ribs, in addition to puncturing a lung, hemorrhaging his mind and dropping virtually 70% of his blood on the blacktop.

He was air-lifted to a close-by hospital, the place towards all odds, a 70-person hospital employees labored across the clock to save lots of his life.

As soon as his situation had stabilized, Neil underwent the primary surgical procedure to restore his legs. Whereas in restoration the following day, he went on-line and ordered a substitute bike for his subsequent race – Neil’s highway to restoration had begun.

Earlier than regaining the ability to stroll, Neil challenged himself to mount a spin bike. Inside a month, he succeeded. 4 months later, he was outdoors on his new bike. And by the tip of the 12 months, he was again in Santa Barbara, coaching on the identical stretch of highway that just about killed him.

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