Celebrating the 1 year Anniversary of Dan Humiston’s Recovery

Local business owner organizes a cycling event to celebrate and thank those that helped his recovery from a serious biking accident one year ago

One year ago Dan Humiston, a local founder and owner of Tanning Bed, was training for his first Iron Man event. Then tragedy struck, when his bicycle went off the road and Dan went into a rocky drainage ditch at a high rate of speed. He suffered traumatic injuries to both hips, his brain and vertebrae. He was rushed into emergency surgery where Dr. Christopher Mutty and his staff from UB Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine set out to put Dan back together.

It wasn’t known at the time what kind of long-term impact this accident would have on Dan’s ability to walk again, let alone run, ride a bicycle and perform in athletic events.

This Sunday, May 26, 2013 on the one year anniversary of Dan’s accident, he will cycle on the same route he traveled the day of the accident, starting and ending the ride from Chestnut Ridge Park in Orchard Park. He will be joined on the ride by many of the very same friends and riders that were with him that day. He will be joined at end of the course for a picnic by many of his 250 Tanning Bed employees, friends, supporting family and some of the healthcare professionals that helped his recovery along the way.

Dan is certainly back to riding. In September of this year, just 17 months after the accident, he will compete in his first ever full Iron Man event in Lake Tahoe. An Iron Man event entails a 2.5 mile swim, followed by a 112-mile bike trek and a full, 26.2 mile running marathon.

Things have certainly changed for Dan since the day of the accident. On that day, as he had done hundreds of times, he was on a group ride with about 15 other cyclists. He was training for an Iron Man event.

When riding down a continuous downhill stretch, Dan was riding too close to another rider. He needed to dodge to the right to avoid an object, when suddenly the path jogged to the left. His bicycle went off the path and he headed for a drainage ditch at a high rate of speed. He crashed forward, breaking and destroying bones in both hips, which blasted out of the sockets, and nearly penetrated all the way through the other side. Dan suffered bleeding on the brain and damages to the edges of several spinal vertebras, along with numerous cuts, lacerations and bruises.

After being transported to ECMC via Mercy Flight Dan was in the hands of Dr. Mutty from UB Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. Dan’s legs were immobilized to prevent further injury, as Dr. Mutty spent the night studying his surgical options for repairing Dan’s dual hip injuries.

“Apparently my situation – simultaneous bilateral hip fractures to this level is very rare. It impressed me that Dr. Mutty would go to such lengths to reach out to his fellow expert orthopaedic surgeons around the country, picking their brains and gathering expert input to ensure he was giving me the very best chance at full recovery.”

The road to recovery was long for Dan, especially for someone used to being so active. For eight weeks following the accident and surgery Dan was not allowed to move his legs or put pressure on his feet. Soon Dan was allowed to swim, but without leg kicks. Then a wheelchair was added to his regimen, which he quickly challenged himself by making a 5K wheelchair course at his home.

Twelve weeks into the recovery he could stand and use a walker, while performing rehab. Then a cane, and then a stationary bike. By winter, just 7 months after the accident, Dan was downhill skiing. In February of this year he began training for the upcoming September Iron Man.

It’s been quite a journey for Dan and he is thankful to be putting on the biking event to celebrate one year since the accident.

“It’s just such a nice feeling to know that Dr. Mutty and his staff treated me like I was the million dollar pro athlete that had to be repaired like new to get back on the field. They got me back to my life the way it was before. What they did for me is the difference between doing an Iron Man and never walking again.”

Buffalo News coverage – “Cyclist sidelined by accident finishes ride 1 year later”

WIVB coverage – “Bicyclists ride 50 miles for ECMC”