DREW DAVIS RECOVERING New Jersey runners are very familiar with Drew Davis who resides in East Stroudsburg PA. It is where he runs and trains, but Davis frequently races in New Jersey and is on the Running Company's M40 team. At the Liberty Waterfront Half Marathon in September Davis was the third masters runner to finish and the first in the M45 division. His time of 1:14:58 age graded at 85.6%, second only to Ben Reynolds of Chatham who graded at 88.7. He is in sixth place in the M45 division of the NBGP and missing the 15K championship that is taking place today. Davis will not be running and right now he is fortunate that he can even walk. Davis was on a training run Sunday morning, October 14th in East Stroudsburg when he was struck by a car traveling 50 mph in a 25 mph zone. Davis was attempting to cross the road when he was hit and according to the police report was carried in the windshield of the car for 225 feet before it came to a stop. Because of the speed that the driver was traveling Davis had not seen the car that was just cresting a hill prior to the impact. |
According to Davis' wife Amy, a family of four that happened on the scene probably saved his life with their quick actions, staunching the blood loss from lacerations to his torso from the windshield. Airlifted by helicopter to a local hospital Davis remained in critical condition for a week, receiving eight units of blood and eight of plasma.
Major injuries included a fractured neck, a fractured left tibia, and right side and leg nerve damage from the laceration. Davis is now on the mend and making better progress than had been initially expected according to Amy Davis.
"He is actually able to walk without a walker or a cane as long as it is short distances," she said.
"We're blessed that he survived and we're blessed that he's not paralyzed," said Amy Davis. Davis will begin physical therapy this week and the neck collar he has been wearing may be replaced with a soft collar this week.
His fitness may have saved his life according to Amy Davis. "Hands down, without a doubt, it was his level of fitness that saved his life," Amy Davis said she was told time and again by doctors and others who read his chart in the course of his treatment.
The Pocono Area Running Club is hosting a 5K race this morning in East Stroudsburg to raise funds to help with expenses for Davis and his family. Although it is too late for New Jersey runners to enter the race, donations can be made to the PARC at 202 Park Avenue, Stroudsburg PA 18360.
Get well cards are appreciated and can be mailed to Davis at 30 Eaglesmere Circle, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301.
BEARS BEACH BLAST NEXT SUNDAY
Nearly all races are put on to raise funds for a charity or a local cause. Unlike the race today in Pennsylvania for Davis, most often the cause has nothing to do with running or racing. But next Sunday is another race that will also be supporting running and racing. This time it will raise funds for a children's running club, the Sussex Bears. Once both an adult and youth club, the club's focus is now entirely on the kids. This season forty-five youngsters participated in cross country and a group of kids has traveled to regional and national competitions.
Swartswood State Park is the setting for this seventh edition of the Beach Blast 5K. As one can deduce by the race name, the theme is summer and beach party time. The club hosts a race in the summer that is themed to December. Racers who dare to bare down to their bathing suits can run for free.
It just might be warm enough to try with its 1:00 p.m. start time. Entry fees are quite reasonable so runners might want to keep their clothes on and hand over the ten bucks. Kids under five have a race at 12:30 p.m.
Registration can be done on the Active website, and more information is
at
www.eteamz.com/bearsrunningclu
Originally published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey on Sunday, December 9, 2007
Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2007
