tom turner

Bad news . . . a pristine, early Elkhart Bach Strad is totally destroyed!

. . . the good news, my friend didn't die in the wreck. The other bad news, he got busted up real bad.

A musical associate of mine named Rick, who is a band director here in Georgia, was coming back from a Panama City Florida trip to see his parents last Sunday night.

In the dark night, on the rural Georgia roads, he failed to make it around a curve. His little Toyota MR-2 sports car left the road and spun . . . eventually hitting a fence post going backwards that obliterated the car and nearly killed Rick!

The force that took the back of the two seater apart going backwards didn't spare Rick either . . . his chest destroyed the steering wheel and broke a bone in his neck and broke some ribs.

Even worse, the impact ruptured his Aorta and he should have died.

He was airlifted on a "life-flight" helocoptper to Shands Hospital at the University of Florida in Gainesville, although when officials called his wife at their house, the initial prognosis was that he probably would die enroute! What a horrible call to receive! She also learned he was paralized with the broken neck at the same time.

HE DIDN'T DIE ENROUTE!

He made it to Shands, where emergency heart surgery was able to repair the ruptured Aorta before he bled to death! He's been sedated heavily since and was initially on a resperator for a couple of days.

MORE GOOD NEWS . . .

He's getting feeling back and is NOT paralized, although a bone in his neck is broken.

Later in the week, they were able to tend to his many non-life threatening injuries.

He's got a long recovery ahead, but he's gonna make it.

His wife (also a band director in their small Georgia county) is by his side. He has been able to tell someone he is a band director and, the other night his wife was playing some music to keep him from getting agitated while mildly sedated.

She told him it was Vivaldi, but he immediately corrected her and spoke, "No it isn't, that's Holst!" He was correct of course, she was only trying to fool him to get him to reply. He's gonna come back I believe, with a lot of prayer.

Remember Rick if you will. Rick and his wife Regine are fine people who love both performing music AND passing their knowledge to the next generation. He's a fine trumpeter too!

THE STRAD?

Rick's one of those people who don't affect a lacquered horn, and his mid-60's Bach 37 always has looked new. Not any more. Along with the rest of the back of the car, his horns were totally destroyed . . . both his Strad and his Yamaha YFL-631 fluglehorn.

Sometimes, things like that quickly lose their importance. At this point, we all just want Rick back beside us in the Georgia Big Band. No one tells jokes like Rick, and he's much loved by all in our area.

Remember him in your prayers!

Tom

Richard Oliver

Prayers for all Tom.

Richard

trpt2345

Driving is by far the most dangerous thing we do. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for your friend.

Michael McLaughlin

Manny Laureano

I'm glad he's gonna be okay, Tom. That's a horrifying story.

ML

Eclipsehornplayer

Tom,

Wow.... Well, living in a rural part of Georgia I can understand just how this happend.

I'm glad he's out of the life threatening part of this saga. I'll most certainly keep him in my prayers.

Glad he's made it!

Annie

Glad to hear he made it through, a miracle indeed. My prayers are with him.

silverstar

Prayers and thoughts from this end of the world!

I hope that he has a full and hasty recovery!

Lara

Vulgano Brother

Thanks for the reality check -- prayers for Rick from the mission in Seattle. Maybe he'll have the time to win the Eclipse contest!