It’s not an uncommon occurrence. A person goes for what was supposed to be a routine trip to the store, something unexpected happens, and the vehicle swerves out of control. Often, the story ends as the driver regains command and rides off into the sunset, narrowly escaping fate. Other times, much like this one, fate grabs hold of the handlebars.
Ontario resident Eric “Rick” Sorenson, unfortunately, became a statistic recently, as his particular incident led to a tumble down a 4.5-meter (that's 15-ish feet for Americans) embankment off the side of the highway, where he found himself trapped–but thankfully alive–under his ATV.
Over ten hours went by. The South Frontenac man chose to conserve his energy, knowing he’d be without food or water for an unforeseen amount of time. Worse yet, the day of the crash wasn’t cold, but oppressively hot—like 104 degrees Fahrenheit—and Sorenson quickly became severely dehydrated.
As dusk fell, he used a survival trick taught by his late father, who served in the Navy: flickering his headlights on and off to catch someone’s attention. For hours, he waved his arms and held out hope. Finally, a firefighter—on his way home from battling a vegetation blaze—spotted the lights. At first, he thought the ATV was abandoned, but when he saw Sorenson lift an arm, he stopped. Emergency crews weren’t far behind, and he was rushed to the hospital.
Doctors worked to relieve the pressure on his pinned leg, but the damage was too severe. Eleven days later, his right leg was amputated below the knee. To his family and friends, though, the fact that he’s alive is the real miracle.
This piece of news is exactly why I am hesitant to invest in a quad, let alone utilize it for sport. Yes, I’ve ridden them…on several occasions. I even enjoyed myself. It’s fun. No one is saying it’s not fun. But I’m 5’2, a buck-fifteen wet. If I had an off-bike where my body ended up underneath an ATV, I’d die. I would die right then and there. No amount of muscle mass, stretching, or technical skill will protect me from being crushed by 400 to 700 pounds of metal and plastic. I slowly (but gleefully) suffocate when a Great Dane wants to cuddle, so I’m no match for a bulked-up utility machine. Death by puppy sounds like a much cuter demise. I’ll take that.
I digress. While ATVs don’t just randomly spiral out of control, this wasn’t about operator error in the usual sense. Sorenson later explained that the “suction of the gravel” pulled him off balance, even though he had slowed to about 24mph. The loose terrain sent the ATV rolling multiple times until it came to rest on top of him. It’s a reminder that sometimes, no matter how skilled or cautious you are, environment and chance can override everything else.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t joyride a quad. Or that the loss of a limb was his fault in any way. But perhaps this is an opportunity to educate through tragedy. We can learn from his misfortune and–as Sorenson himself says in a video interview–think ahead. Consider technical training, protective gear, alertness, and maybe even a few supplies like water, so that when, not if, fate tries to thumb-throttle you off a ledge or into a tree or over an unsuspecting bicyclist, at least one of you is ready for the consequences.
If you want to help Eric down the road to recovery, as well as re-establish his life and support his family, you can donate to the GoFundMe campaign organized by his stepbrother’s partner, Maryann Ruttan. The funds will help adapt his home with ramps and accessible doors, and cover the cost of future prosthetics.
