I posted earlier in the year about 3 of my friends and myself cycling across the country for breast cancer. Yesterday while riding through New Mexico (60 miles west of Albuquerque) my cousin, one of my best friends, was struck by an SUV going at a high rate of speed. The car was over the white line when it struck him. He hit off of the front windshield and was catapulted around 8 feet into the air until he fell onto the road. His helmet and bike were completely destroyed by the impact against the car and ground.
I was 30 feet ahead of him stopped watching the entire thing waiting to change a tire, and the car continued off the road towards me and missed me by inches before the driver swerved back onto the roadway from the apron.
My friend was immediately knocked unconscious and I was the first one at the scene as the two other riders were a few hundred yards ahead at the time. A few cars stopped to assist and he was life-flighted by helicopter to UNM hospital, but was declared brain-dead today at 3:30 PM.
Because this happened on Indian reservation land, the laws and court proceedings are apparantly different. I was wondering if anyone has any insight about this. I'm just asking everyone keep his family and 2 younger brothers in their prayers. I called his parents to deliver the news and picked them up at the airport today....I have never seen people more devastated in my entire life. We were 2 states and 10 days away from finishing the trip. Rest in peace John.
