MONROE - After a serious motorcycle crash at the age of 59, one might expect motorcyclist Chuck Lagrange to quit riding.
Four years later, though, the South Wayne retiree continues to ride, hoping to help other people in the process.
Lagrange's accident took place on July 22, 2012, as he was riding through Hazel Green on the way to New Diggings. At 9:13 p.m., a deer ran into the road. Lagrange swerved to avoid the animal, which jettisoned him from his bike.
He had been riding bikes for 47 years, he said.
He said he probably would have died from his injuries, but for a daughter of a friend who happened upon the scene and alerted emergency responders. Even so, it would take him months to recover from his injuries.
The crash shattered Lagrange's jaw, which had to be wired shut. Worse, however, was his brain trauma and spinal injury.
"I forget things a lot now," Lagrange said. "And I had to learn how to walk again."
During his recovery, however, Lagrange discovered something strange. His crash occurred at 9:13. In his wallet at the time was $13.13. He had been a member of the motorcycle club The Apparitions for 13 years. He lost 13 pounds during rehabilitation. Even his name was 13 letters long.
Lagrange said he wasn't sure what to make of the recurrence of the number 13 but believed that the number was important to him somehow. Since the crash, Lagrange has received multiple tattoos of the number upon his body.
After his rehabilitation - which took, perhaps not coincidentally, 13 months - Lagrange returned to riding. He said he wasn't nervous about riding again, but recognized that, lucky number or no lucky number, he may not survive a second crash.
To prevent future crashes like the one in 2012, Lagrange now rides three-wheeled vehicles, which are less likely to overturn when swerving suddenly.
More important, Lagrange joined the Road Guardians, an organization that provides first aid training to motorcyclists in order to reduce injuries to drivers after road accidents.
After joining the Road Guardians - an organization with 13 letters in its name - Lagrange was named the group's 2013 Triker of the Year.
Now 63 years old, Lagrange continues to be on the lookout for drivers in need. While he said he has not yet needed to use his first aid skills, he did once help pull a driver from a ditch in 2013.
"The bottom line is that I can help other people," Lagrange said. "I can be like the people who helped me."
Four years later, though, the South Wayne retiree continues to ride, hoping to help other people in the process.
Lagrange's accident took place on July 22, 2012, as he was riding through Hazel Green on the way to New Diggings. At 9:13 p.m., a deer ran into the road. Lagrange swerved to avoid the animal, which jettisoned him from his bike.
He had been riding bikes for 47 years, he said.
He said he probably would have died from his injuries, but for a daughter of a friend who happened upon the scene and alerted emergency responders. Even so, it would take him months to recover from his injuries.
The crash shattered Lagrange's jaw, which had to be wired shut. Worse, however, was his brain trauma and spinal injury.
"I forget things a lot now," Lagrange said. "And I had to learn how to walk again."
During his recovery, however, Lagrange discovered something strange. His crash occurred at 9:13. In his wallet at the time was $13.13. He had been a member of the motorcycle club The Apparitions for 13 years. He lost 13 pounds during rehabilitation. Even his name was 13 letters long.
Lagrange said he wasn't sure what to make of the recurrence of the number 13 but believed that the number was important to him somehow. Since the crash, Lagrange has received multiple tattoos of the number upon his body.
After his rehabilitation - which took, perhaps not coincidentally, 13 months - Lagrange returned to riding. He said he wasn't nervous about riding again, but recognized that, lucky number or no lucky number, he may not survive a second crash.
To prevent future crashes like the one in 2012, Lagrange now rides three-wheeled vehicles, which are less likely to overturn when swerving suddenly.
More important, Lagrange joined the Road Guardians, an organization that provides first aid training to motorcyclists in order to reduce injuries to drivers after road accidents.
After joining the Road Guardians - an organization with 13 letters in its name - Lagrange was named the group's 2013 Triker of the Year.
Now 63 years old, Lagrange continues to be on the lookout for drivers in need. While he said he has not yet needed to use his first aid skills, he did once help pull a driver from a ditch in 2013.
"The bottom line is that I can help other people," Lagrange said. "I can be like the people who helped me."