3 seconds. That’s all it took to change Chris Hubbard’s life. 3 seconds is how much time he says elapsed between noticing the car crossing the median and being violently thrown from his motorcycle. 3 seconds.
Seated in a wheelchair, his right arm bandaged and bound in a sling, Chris Hubbard used his left arm and left leg to position himself in the front of the room. He had come to speak to us about United Way and the difference it has made in his life. He took out a few pieces of lined notebook paper and began to read. “I’m Chris Hubbard.” “ I used to live in Brevard County. I had moved to Alabama a few years ago, but I still had some business interests here.” “Last year, I had come to take care of some business concerns and having finished with those, I was riding my bike on 528. I remember seeing the car coming toward me. The next thing I remember is waking up in Holmes Regional Medical Center.” He went on to tell how when he was able to comprehend what had happened, he discovered his right leg was no longer there. His right arm was badly crushed and the medical team was not certain it could be saved. Though his right arm is not back to full functioning, he credits the excellent care he received for having a right arm at all.
“Every day I was in that hospital, I dreamed of the day I would be able to get out,” he said. “As soon as I could get out, I planned to kill myself.” His sense of loss was overwhelming. He had lost his leg, his family, his businesses, his home and his sense of who he was as a person. All as a result of those 3 seconds.
As his condition improved, the case management team helped him connect with Joe Robinson and the staff at North Brevard Charities. “They didn’t just give me a place to live.” “They saved my life.” North Brevard Charities, a local United Way affiliated agency, is helping Chris rebuild his life. A nurse by profession, he is back in school at age 47, training for a new career. With their help and support, he is looking forward to the day he again has his own home. “After my accident, I wanted to die.” “Now, I ‘m really glad I didn’t.”
3 seconds. That’s all it took to change Chris Hubbard’s life. 120 seconds is all it took to fill out my United Way pledge card.
Blessings to you all,
Jerald
