Bob’s Fight to Ride Again

You know that special thing you love that you can’t wait to do again? For Bob, 72, it’s riding his motorcycle on Arizona’s scenic byways. The engine’s roar and the wind in his face remind him of flying F-14 Tomcat jet fighters in the Navy.

But an accident in his backyard put all that at risk.

A couple of summers ago, Bob went to check on his pool. It was 114 degrees, and a quick dip sounded like a good idea. But with one misstep, Bob tripped, landed on rocks and concrete, and struggled to get back up.

Summer concrete can reach 180 degrees. Just two minutes of contact can cause second-degree burns. Bob knew he’d die if he didn’t crawl to the door and grab his wife’s attention.

Bob had burns on his back, leg, an upper arm, and hands. His injuries required him to stay in the hospital for five weeks initially. Later, his skin grafts contracted by pulling Bob’s thumb in toward his palm, leading to more surgeries to try to restore full use of his right hand.

He feared his motorcycle riding days were over. Adding to the stress, Bob’s insurance didn’t cover all of his bills. Your gift to the Arizona Burn Foundation can help relieve the anxiety that burn survivors and their families face. Thank you for helping to change lives.