TRIGGER WARNING: SORRY FOR THE GRAPHIC IMAGES.
Thank you for allowing me to share a few of my reasons for attempting to take on the city.
In 2018 I got my best friend, Koda. He inspired me to walk and hike our urban streets. In 2019 I misstepped on a gorge in the street on Hollyridge. I ended up at Presbyterian Hospital. A torn tendon. Out of work for a week. Eight Weeks of Physical Therapy. I worked hard to heal the injury.
2020 with stay-at-home orders, I spent hours walking the neighborhood, exploring the historic stairs. The day before Thanksgiving, I tripped over a lifted crack of concrete, landing on my previously injured foot and causing a class 3 sprain. I endured another six weeks of agony-filled rehab with the pain of shattered glass in my ankle. Mind you, Koda is almost 90 pounds, and I have no choice but to walk him. In early December, My sister, who moved in with me due to the pandemic and was concerned about my attempted dog walks, insisted on coming with me as I hobbled along. She was trying to be supportive, and somehow on a broken piece of the patched and crumbling road fell. It all happened so fast. She screamed out. As I lifted her, her face was covered in blood. She had hit her head. The blood got into her eyes, and she could not see. I had to navigate her on my injured foot back home. Her injuries consisted of a head contusion, two black eyes, wrist and knee injuries. Another ER visit, C-Scan, X -Rays. Three weeks recovery. Heartbreaking.
In February, as the pandemic raged, my only solace was long walks at night. Being that Hollyridge is a historic street with the 1920's lights, it's dim at best. As you know, we have no sidewalks. I, even with all my care and unmistakable fear of the street, am forever paying attention. It happened again. A car came up Hollyridge a bit too fast at night. My flashlight was bright enough to warn the approaching vehicle, and as I curbed the dog and stepped with my left foot, it landed on a broken chunk of concrete that had been poorly patched, it gave way, and I went down.
The MRIs showed extensive traumatic damage to my ligaments, and I ruptured three main tenons—twelve weeks of physical therapy and an experimental stem cell treatment. I have somewhat recovered, although ruptured tendons do not heal. I am supposed to wear a brace for life.
I am not clumsy by nature. I am keenly aware of my surroundings, yet this happened to me, not once, not twice, but three times! And to someone I love.
I share this with you not because I have some legal claim – which, for the record, I tried and rejected. So instead, it motivated me to do something bigger and outside of myself in the hopes of preventing the trauma and agony to someone else. To make Hollyridge safe for walking, jogging, biking, skating, and driving. To ensure that in case of a fire, residents have the best chance of escape and evacuation. To allow tourists to marvel at our environment as they explore the historic stairs. It's for us.
TO FIX THIS ROAD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.