It’s hardly surprising that Cleveland Browns football player Marcus Benard would say that he is newly evaluating his life with “a little bit of insight.”
Being hurtled an estimated 80 yards after he lost control in a motorcycle accident last autumn and simply being able to survive such a crash and talk about it will certainly bring about a bit of extra reflection on how fortunately things turned out.
And how differently the outcome could have been. A witness said that Benard was traveling at a high rate of speed following practice last October 10 when, for unknown reasons, he lost control of his bike. It slid across four lanes of I-71 and collided with a guard rail near Brooklyn.
Benard subsequently spent three days in the hospital. Notably — and in contrast to the outcomes in many other significant motorcycle crash incidents — he suffered relatively minor injuries. Most of his rehabilitation was focused on healing a broken hand.
And thus Benard feels lucky, a sentiment he openly expressed last week at one of the Browns’ first organized practices for the upcoming season. He termed himself “blessed.”
He also noted that motorcycle riding is an activity he will no longer pursue.
Team players and coaches say they’re happy he’s back.
“We all go through things in life that refocus us on doing things the right way,” said head coach Pat Shurmur.
The Browns have been visited by motorcycle crash incidents in the past. Another player, Kellen Winslow II, suffered a severe knee injury in a 2005 bike accident. He missed that entire season.
Source: The Plain Dealer, “Marcus Benard appreciates new “insight” after recovering from motorcycle accident,” Tom Reed, May 30, 2012