Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2005 10:51 am Posts: 6791 Location: Dacula, GA
from atwowheelguy . . . .
Quote:
Don Lilley was injured in a single vehicle motorcycle accident on Hwy 60 near Suches, GA on Saturday, June 7. He was returning to the Skeenah Creek Campground after volunteering during the GARTRA ‘Hooch” dual sport ride.
He has a fracture of the lower left leg. The doctor said it does not appear to be displaced so it will probably not require rods or screws.
Complete details are unknown because Don’s recollection of the incident is incomplete. I have not heard any first person eye witness reports. Something happened after he passed a slow moving minivan. There was no collision with another vehicle.
They kept him for observation Saturday night because of the possibility that he may have fainted before the accident, since he did not remember the incident. Today, Sunday, he told me that he had a “flashback” of the instant that he parted company with his scooter, but he still does not remember exactly what happened to cause him to lose control of his bike.
They kept him for a second night of observation tonight, Sunday, because of his unusually low heart rate and blood pressure. Don told me that this is normal for him. I suppose the doctors in Atlanta can’t believe an 80 year old can be that fit. I hope that when the doctors come back to work on Monday and talk to Don’s doctor, he will be released.
I have retrieved the remnants of his scooter from the towing company in Blairsville and the remnants of his clothing from the Fire Station in Suches. I think Don will be most distressed to discover his old waxed riding jacket was cut to pieces during his evaluation by the EMS crew. It must be at least 40 years old. I am not a mechanic, but I suspect his Yamaha Majesty 400cc scooter is beyond practical repair. He had told me that his old Honda Ascot had carried him to age 80, and he expected the scooter to take him to 90. Sadly, it will not.
As of tonight, he is in room 239 in the Critical Care Unit of North Fulton Medical Center in Roswell, GA. The CCU placement is because of the concern about his heart rate and blood pressure, not his crash injury.
When he is released, I will take him home. His wife no longer drives, but his daughter lives in Macon. They are waiting to take care of him.
Say a little prayer for a speedy recovery for our friend.
Sam Shaw
Don is the octogenarian that lays out the Family Fun Ride trail every year. That and many other notable accomplishments.
If you PM me I will try to get Don's home address for get well cards, etc.
Best,
- c bob
_________________ KTMWorld& Highland Park - second to NONE! . . . . . . . ><> Dream HouseDream House 500 - October 3rd, 2010
_________________ DirtBikeDad Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so-Douglas Adams '03 KDX220R '99 CR250R '01 KX85 '90 220 Bayou
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 8:48 pm Posts: 8458 Location: Cedartown, GA
I have had the pleasure to meet Don a few times over the years, and he is a role model for all of us that ride. I don't make that statement lightly, even though I do not know Don well, because I have seen what he does for us and our sport, and how many years he has been doing it. Don Lilly is someone we can all look up to and admire for his dedication and love of our chosen sport.
I'll donate a new Kobe riding jacket for Don.
And I'll go one step further. If anyone out in GOR land has a suitable used bike or scooter to replace Don's mangled scooter, I'll be the first to volunteer to chip in to buy it or fix it or whatever is necessary. Don has given so much of himself for us. Time to pay back a little.
Sam, please keep us updated on Don's recovery and condition, and let us know what we can do to help.
And I'll go one step further. If anyone out in GOR land has a suitable used bike or scooter to replace Don's mangled scooter, I'll be the first to volunteer to chip in to buy it or fix it or whatever is necessary. Don has given so much of himself for us. Time to pay back a little.
Sam, please keep us updated on Don's recovery and condition, and let us know what we can do to help.
I am willing to do whatever I can ..the heat may have been a big factor it may have stopped me from riding this week but Don whom i've never met was there volunteering to help others..that alone is enough to convince me
Paul's conviction makes this a priority
please keep us posted
_________________ O8 KTM 300xC&W - Dual sportin' C rider Blue Ribbon Coalition http://www.sharetrails.org/ http://www.treadlightly.org/ LOUD PIPES KILL!!!! riding opportunities.
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2008 6:50 pm Posts: 10 Location: Griffin, GA
CBob, Sam, Paul:
Growing up in Macon, I have known Don Lilley since 1971 when I first started riding his Hare and Hounds which he put on locally.
Don is tough, ornery, and set in his ways - and has given his all to motorcycles over the past 45-50 years.
I will contribute to a replacement bike fund with no problem - we need to get something set up formally because as word travels I think you'll see many more pitch in.
I'll also donate one of my old riding jackets - he can have a choice of either a red Barbour or a black Belstaff - both circa 1974/75 and waxed cotton so that he can have as close a replacement to the one that got cut up.
Sam - let me know if you need help in getting him home - I live in Griffin now but I have a good riding buddy that started riding with me back in '70 that lives in Macon that used to work with Don and I am sure he'll be open to help also once he finds out what happened.
Joined: Tue May 18, 2004 11:37 am Posts: 67 Location: Chapel Hill N.C.
Prayer said for Mr. Don. I remember riding enduros with Don in the 70's and 80's. I rode the same row with him at the Columbia national enduro in 1980 or 81, I was amazed how smooth this "old guy" was. He spanked my butt in the last section of a 150 mile enduro.
Mary, Don's wife, just called me. It seems that the Atlanta doctor is bound and determined to install a new Capacitor Discharge Ignition system and voltage regulator on Don's circulating pump. He won't let him out of the garage without it. Maybe Paul could get Don a discount on a KTM unit.
While I was talking to Mary, I heard her relaying Don's instructions to her son to get busy building a wheelchair ramp up to their front door. Any of you in Macon who would like to help with that, PM me.
Anyhow, they might put in the ticker regulator today. If that is the case, he might get to go to Macon tomorrow. I'll go see him after work today. I'll let you know how he's doing.
I don't know how to go about setting up a "Don's Scooter Fund" on the internet. Anybody who would be willing to help with that, PM me.
_________________ Organizing Committee www.familyfunride.com and www.dreamhouse500.com Treasurer, www.gartra.com (GARTRA) Safety Director, GA Crackers M/C Club (Cracker Hare Scramble) '66 Super Hawk, '98 XR400R, '00 XR650R, '00 SV650, '04 DL650, '07 525EXC
Don's new ticker regulator was installed successfully yesterday, 6/10. I visited with him for a couple of hours after work. He is in no pain unless he bumps his ankle. Don says the flared bone joint is broken on both sides. I suppose that means that the ends of both the tibia and fibula are broken. I would expect that's going to take some metal to splice those back in place. Well all that's over my head anyway.
Wife Mary and son Danny will come get him this morning. The doctor would not let me take him home in my SuperCrew truck. He is not allowed to step up into a vehicle. They wanted him in a car so he would just turn around and sit down into the vehicle. I'm not sure why.
Son Tommy is building the ramp to the front door right now. I told Mary that a couple of GOR people had volunteered to help with that project, but Tommy said he wanted to do it. Must be that independant pride thing working. Wonder where he gets that from?
I will meet Mary and Danny over at the hospital when they get here around noon today so I can return Don's wallet and phone to him. The hospital staff had recomended that Don not keep those in the hospital.
I'll take his scooter down to Capitol Cycle in Macon on Saturday for them to see if it can be repaired. I doubt it.
Paul Wright at Highland Park - KTM World has volunteered to use his computer skills to set up a way for us to donate to a scooter replacement fund for Don. I don't think Don has internet service right now, so we can probably keep all this a secret from him. It would be a great surprise if we can pull it off and replace his scooter by the time he heals up.
I have every confidence we can do it.
_________________ Organizing Committee www.familyfunride.com and www.dreamhouse500.com Treasurer, www.gartra.com (GARTRA) Safety Director, GA Crackers M/C Club (Cracker Hare Scramble) '66 Super Hawk, '98 XR400R, '00 XR650R, '00 SV650, '04 DL650, '07 525EXC
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