Today i was cleaning out my closet and came across this picture. In the summer between being a freshman and sophmore in college, i was biking. Back then i use to race bicycles and to take a 30 mile training ride wasnt reallly anything. Well one day me and a friend decided to bike from Baltimore city to College Park, Maryland. We didnt even get out of the city before this happened. When i was coming up on an intersection, a Baltimore City Police car edged up while waiting for a red light and blocked my path. Because i had to react quick, i cut my wheel. my bike went one way, and i went another. i put my hand out to catch my fall, and all 4 fingers were snapped out of their socket. I hit the pavement with my face, and slid for about 12 feet before hitting the curb with my head. Upon impact i broke 3 vertebrates in my neck, went into shock, and waited for the Shock Trauma unit to arrive. I dont remember anything really because i was in shock. One thing i do remember is that when i was in the Ambulance i told the EMT worker that i was 'tired' and was going to take a 'nap'. As soon as she heard me say that, she dug her nails into my thigh, and told me that i probably wouldnt wake up if i fell asleep. needless to say, i stayed awake. It took 8 hours of xrays and examinations to determine that i had shattered the C2 vertabrate. To repair it, i got the handy little device you see above. It consisted of a metal circle with 4 screws holding it to my head. It is called a Halo. Those 4 screws were put in by 4 doctors at the same time. They would say 3-2-1 'turn', and at the same time, they would twist the screws into my head. The metal actually dug into my skull to ensure it wouldnt move around on my head. The Halo had 4 bars that came down. two in front. two in back. then a wrap went around my body to make sure my head didnt move. And in 4 months i had healed and was able to walk again. I am tellin you, that summer changed my life. I wont say that my life flashed in front of my eyes, or anything like that, but i do know that after i got better, i became more motivated, more active, more involved in my own life. I was a pretty lazy guy before that. guess everything happens for a reason