Lynn

Written by cycleguy on July 25th, 2017

This is a week of “Safety Posts.” Mine was yesterday. Today, I want you to meet David Waechter. I met David when I got involved in 3FeetPlease. I asked him to write a blog post to tell his story and why he got involved in 3FeetPlease. Here is his “heart” story.

What happens when your best friend, confidant, mentor, “sister” is ripped from your life in a tragic and unnecessary accident?  What happens when a piece of your heart is shredded; never to be replaced?  What happens when you look her in the eyes, hold her hands, and lie?  What happens when your family triples in size because you made a promise?  For me, that answer was to become the living definition of “lost”.  I no longer had a direction or a desire to move forward in my life.  They call it extreme PTSD but it’s so much more.

The last words I told my friend before she took her last breath was that we would be fine and that “she could go”.  I’ve never told a larger lie in my life and I still regret it; though I know she understood when I told her that I was just giving her permission to join Him and to do His work.  The ER surgeon, other medical professionals, and even the Hospital Chaplain told me that what I was witnessing was a miracle.  Lynn should have been gone the moment the car collided with our bikes yet she held on for several hours for my daughter and me to get to the hospital.  She lasted less than 20 minutes after we got there.  They told me that she needed to hear my voice.  The truth of the matter is that Lynn was waiting for me so that I would know it was OK; not the other way around.  She was the stronger of the two of us.  She was the rock of our collective families and she was simply continuing in that role until the very end.

I’m often asked why I “lead” the 3 Feet Please movement.  I’m not good at meeting people, I don’t like marketing, and I’m horrible at trying to make an advocacy process work – three skills very necessary to be successful at this.  So why do I do it?  The simple answer is Lynn.  I owe it to her to make sure other families do not go through what we have.  People who drive cars needs to understand the damage they can do by making a bad decision.  In an instant, a bad decision can destroy a life and all those who loved that life.  I need to play a major role in stopping that from happening to others.

I’m still horribly lost and probably always will be to a point.  But, I’m also finding that this path is taking me somewhere I would never have gone on my own and I’m learning a lot more about myself and others along the way.  I’m meeting some amazing people with some amazing passions.  I’m also meeting some very sad people who have experienced similar tragedies and I do my best to offer them comfort and an empathic ear.  It’s a much different life than I thought I would have at this point in my life, but I’m going to figure out how to have an impact and how to make a difference.  The reality and the beauty of what we do is that those we save will never know that they were saved.  The will simply make it home safe because some driver was educated and made the right decision.  In this case, ignorance is truly, wonderfully, bliss.

Please give cyclists plenty of room when you drive.

Don’t forget a comment enters your name for a bear and the possibility of winning a T-shirt. See here for details and pictures.

 

6 Comments so far ↓

  1. My heart broke reading your story here, David. Praying that your mission will save the lives of many bicyclists in the future.
    May God surround you and yours with His comfort and peace.

  2. cycleguy says:

    From Kari: Just read “Lynn” as I sit at a coffee shop taking a break on a bike ride with my husband. Heartbreaking.

  3. floyd says:

    Praying for you and your ministry, David. May God bless and lift you up. A much needed and worthy cause.

    • cycleguy says:

      I’m excited, Floyd, I have had a chance to meet David via email and texting and phone calls. Some day in person. It is a worthy cause.