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Vol. No. 30 Tuesday, July 2013 Vol. 7, No. 2, 8, Tuesday, November 8, 9, 2011
Lamont’s Man of Steel lives to tell the tale of horrifying motorcycle crash Michelle Pinon Editor
It was Friday night at the race track in London, Ontario. Devin Pelrine was at the start line revving up the engine of his custom made nitro Harley motorcycle for his first test run of the evening on June 14. With 1,000 horsepower powering him down the track, the ASB Racing daredevil reached 6.65 @ 211; meaning he was travelling at 211 kilometres per hour and had reached the finish line in 6.65 seconds. Pelrine pushed the button for
the parachute to open, but it wouldn’t; and his attempts to apply the back brakes failed as well. With a concrete barrier in front of him, Pelrine partially nicked the barrier and tried to straighten the bike out before entering the sand pit. “It wasn’t my first time in the sand, but it was wet,” says the Lamont based drag racer, but the bike took a nose dive upon impact and started going end to end in the air. Pelrine went flying 30 to 40 feet before hitting the sand before everything went black. Devin’s wife Loralei was
Devin’s amazing strength and resiliancy is clearly evident in this photograph.
up at the start line, and could only see a cloud of dust from her vantage point. The paramedics were on stand by and responded immediately before dialing 911. The first responders carefully removed his helmut before the ambulance arrived to take him to the nearest hospital. His spine snapped in several places. “He had the exact same breaks and fractures as the late Christoper Reeve, (the actor who portrayed the character of Superman),” says Loralei. The first order of business was to get Devin stablized. Then a “Halo” vest and steel based structure designed to hold his skull, neck, and back together was put in place. He was on the precipice, dangerously close to the edge between life and death lying unconscious for four days in the intensive care unit. His mind was drifting as his body was pumped full of drugs. “It sounded like the Bronx and he could hear people crying.” To prevent a blood clot, Devin had to wear tights on his legs. While doctors didn’t want to perform surgery because they felt it was “too risky”; a shift in his spine left physicians with no option but to operate on June 19. Devin earned his nickname “Superman” over
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
The day after Devin arrived home in Lamont he was sitting on his bike. the course of the next sionals back to Alberta and determination, plans few days in hospital. “I via airplane. Because of to be back racing next didn’t want to be there Devin’s delicate condi- summer. “You can’t let any longer.” Only two tion, they had to rent a fear ruin your life. days after surgery, Devin limosine for the ride You’ve got to get back on was walking with the from the airport on June the bike or it will haunt assistance of a walker. 28 back home to Lamont. you.” Devin has even sat Members of the medical The following day, he on his bike in the shop community marvelled at went to the shop and sat since returning home. He will have to wear the this man, who seemed to on top of his bike. People near and far halo for six to 12 weeks possess super human mental and physical have been praying for longer before embarking strength. He defied all Devin and his family on the arduous journey odds to survive the over the past several of physiotherapy. One can see the rescrash, escape without weeks, and sending well paralysis, and walk wishes and messages. So oluteness in his eyes and again. Truly miraculous! while a cat may have hear the gritty determiHe was expected to stay nine lives, friends have nation his voice. There’s in hospital for three to six joked that he’s used up no denying that he’ll try weeks, and was trans- eight and a half of those to move heaven and earth to stay alive and ferred to the hospital’s already. While Devin may not keep his dream of being trauma care centre. Less than a week later, Devin be totally out of the the fastest nitro motorcyand Loralei were being woods yet, this man of cle drag racer in the transported with the steel with nerves of steel world alive. aide of medical profes- and heart full of courage