An incredible story, a Colorado Springs man is alive today thanks to some quick thinking of good people and life-saving gear.
Eddie Kerr was on an annual motorbike trail ride in Teller County over Memorial Day weekend, when he got distracted and faced some disastrous consequences. Kerr crashed into a tree, causing a branch, the size of a baseball bat, to glance off his protective gear and into his throat and shoulder area.
Kerr’s location provided many challenges following the incident, as he was deep in the North Divide Trail System with no cell service. Luckily, some people at the trailhead offered their ATVs to first responders from the Ute Pass Paramedic Services and Divide Fire.
While the responders rode to find Kerr, a fellow rider had been providing life-saving direct pressure to his wound. Responders were able to then locate him and begin their treatment.
Many life-saving resources came to Kerr’s aid, as UCHealth’s LifeLine helicopter made a tricky landing a few hundred yards from where he was. Again, there were a number of factors that made Kerr’s location difficult as the hilly terrain, trees, and wind posed some serious safety hazards for landing.
Kerr was finally transported to Memorial Hospital Central, where doctors say he is suffering several broken bones and a punctured lung. Kerr says he will be taking a break from motorcycles for a while, but is expected to recover.
UCHealth says bleeding is the top cause of preventable death in trauma situations like this. It urges all Coloradans to get familiar with backcountry safety skills, basic first aid and bleeding control.
