Central Florida Bicycle Cabber Craig Franzoni Hit by Speeding Car Early April 1  

In Deep Coma for First Three Days, Unresponsive for Four More, Still Not Conscious

Leading Central Florida Cabber Recovering in ORMC Trauma Intensive Care Unit

 Article in Orlando Sentinel (central Florida daily newspaper) online edition April 2:

     http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_thechaingang/2008/04/orlandos-godfat.html

     Here is the full story, written by Hugh E Webber, Craigs friend and partner

   At 2:10 AM 4/1/08, leading central Florida bicycle cabber Craig (Michael Craig) Franzoni was struck from behind by a speeding car as he rode his Komodo bicycle (un-hitched from his passenger trailer-cab) home from work in the International Drive Resort Area. He is being treated in Orlando Regional Medical Center's Trauma Intensive Care Unit; he has not yet regained consciousness.

     Craig was rear-ended by a car traveling perhaps 60 mph on Sand Lake Road (speed limit: 45 mph at that spot) at its intersection with (45-55 mph) John Young Parkway. His Komodo work-bike's industrial-duty rear wheel was destroyed (rim into axle) as the bicycle was punched from under him. The car's windshield then hit him and he went over the roof; Craig came to rest 60 feet from the point of impact. The bike was knocked 80 feet.

     Craig's wife, Barbara, had had a premonition at 2 AM and began calling him just after he was hit; the responding Florida Highway Patrol trooper (thank you, friend!) soon called her back on Craig's cell phone. She called me a bit after 4 AM and I took her to see Craig, who had been admitted to Orlando Regional Medical Center's Trauma Intensive Care Unit. We saw him about three hours after the accident. He didn't look pretty, but not as badly injured as our first information had suggested. At that time, however, the TICU doctors weren't sure whether he'd survive.

     All we first knew was where he'd been at impact and how far he'd traveled after being struck: I was steeling myself (even though Id worked in ORMC Medical Records for 14 years) to be seeing my very good friend in pieces hastily stitched together. I couldn't understand how he had survived a 60-to-10 mph rear impact, being thrown 60 feet and then being run over by a motorcycle. That last hit, reported by the Sentinel, later proved to be non-existent; no motorcycle had been nearby when the smash occurred.

     Craig initially had brain trauma (with intracranial bleeding,) four broken ribs, a punctured lung, lacerations to his liver and facial injuries, with bad road rash on his torso, arms and legs. One side of his face was badly cut, but I'd expected much worse. He was deeply comatose for three days before he made any organized movement.

     A few of us, with help from local independent  bike cabbers Tom and Tommy (thank you, guys!) have been assisting Barbara, Craig's wife, who had recently moved to Orlando and was to have started a new job on the day that Craig was hit. She started work training this week, but is out of cash to pay her bills. Everyone has been very kind, but we must appeal to the bike-cab community and others for aid, since we've already expended our slender resources in paying her rent.

     On April 3, I retrieved Craig's beloved Komodo from Sly's Towing; their staff had seen TV reports of the accident; Sly's discounted the standard vehicle recovery price by over $100. and added their good wishes for Craig's quick recovery. The bike's rear rim is broken and twisted 45 degrees; I showed it (rear wheel drooping out of my car's trunk) to fellow International Drive 'cabbers before laying it to rest in our shop (Craig and I share 'cab shop space near I. Drive.)

     Three days after the accident Craig began making organized movements of his head and extremities. After his wife saw him on April 7, she excitedly reported that he had responded to nurses' words to and had given a thumbs-up gesture! Still in a light coma on the 8th, Craig was transferred to a regular hospital room.

     I believe that Craig will eventually regain (at least) near-normal functioning and I know that he'll drive bike cabs again. Local 'cabbers and shops are talking about building whatever bike or cab he may need, so that we can have him back with us on the streets.

     Craig is a leading local 'cabber and was working with me to form an area drivers' organization, in order to avoid repetitions of bike cab public-relations disasters in the International Drive Resort Area. One bad apple recently cost us access to the tony Pointe Orlando mall (and thousands in income each week.) We've seen to it that he'll never drive another bike cab in this area, but the damage has been done.

     Craig Franzoni has worked in most East Coast cities from New Jersey south and at events as far west as Texas. He's known across America as a good and responsible 'cabber; here, we all respect him and many of us love the guy. Everybody I've told about his accident has offered at least positive energy for his full recovery, and it seems to be working: this tough and determined 45-year-old cabber is fighting to come back to us.

     We can't afford to lose him! With US cities and counties now cracking down on bicycle cabs, bike cab drivers (at least) must work together to meet the challenges of, and to, our rapidly-growing industry.

4/10/08

Orlando's Craig Franzoni Back in ICU with Blood Clot in Lung

Central Florida Bicyclist, Bike Cabber, Mechanic and Mentor Fighting to Recover

     My good friend and fellow bicycle cab driver Craig Franzoni, 45, was rear-ended off his bike early April 1 by a car traveling probably 60 mph. Craig was knocked over the car by its onrushing hood and windshield, then fell to the pavement at speed; seconds later, he lay 60 feet from the point of impact.

     Witnesses went to his aid, risking their own lives (on a divided high-speed artery after bar close) to save his. The car that struck Craig initially left the scene. An hour later, the driver turned himself in and was arrested; he was soon freed on $2500. bond.

    Craig suffered brain trauma and has not yet returned to full consciousness. He is fitted out with chest-wall suction to let his lung inflate, an oxygen nose tube and a central intravenous line supplying nutrition and medication. He is attended by his wife, Barbara, his family and a few close friends for now.

     My good friend Craig, tough as nails and strong-willed in all that he does, has made rapid progress in the Trauma Intensive Care Unit at Orlando Regional Medical Center. On Day Three, he emerged from deep coma. On Day Seven, he was briefly conscious enough to give his nurses a thumbs-up gesture and has since responded physically to Barbara's loving touch. On Day Eight, he was stable enough to be transferred to ORMCs ICU Step-Down Unit, just down the hall from TICU.

     Last night, I noted his elevated heart rate, shown on the bedside instrument that also monitors his blood-oxygen level and breathing rate. Today, we learned that a blood clot had broken loose from a vessel in his traumatized right leg and lodged in his lung; he was laboring to breathe around the obstruction. Craig was returned to the TICU for anti-clot treatment under close supervision by doctors and staff: it is possible that the blood-thinners now being applied may allow his brain to bleed again.

     I am grateful for the ORMC doctors, nurses and staff, who have helped greatly in his early and rapid healing. The responding Florida Highway Patrol trooper, the EMTs, the ORMC ER staff and the outstanding people who run the TICU have all earned our thanks for service above and beyond the call of duty. The waiting-room staff, social workers and chaplains have all been most kind and helpful to Craig's wife Barbara, their relatives and myself.

     Craig and I love driving bicycle cabs. Technically competitors, we have worked together for three years and now share shop space near International Drive. I helped him and his wife to relocate here after his months of following events throughout the South. We are working together to realize our goals: a local bike cab drivers' association and a Pedicab Central Shop, to shape and serve our growing industry.

     I know that Craig Franzoni will overcome this setback and recover consciousness sometime soon. Although I worked in Medical Records for 14 years, I am amazed at Craig's quick progress in healing. This is due to his determination to rapidly rejoin his wife, relatives and friends. Nobody knew until now how many friends he has; I write this partly in self-defense, to cut down on the hundreds of calls that Barbara, I and others are receiving for news and to send positive energy for Craig's complete recovery.

4/14/08

Craig Conscious Again, Overcoming Lung Clot, Recurrent Brain & Lung Bleeding

     My friend Michael Craig Franzoni looked at me and likely understood my comments to him in the ORMC Trauma Intensive Care Unit today. He has been responding to touch for a week and first regained some consciousness three days ago. I've been busy elsewhere for the last few days, taking care of my business and answering dozens of calls coming in from bike cabbers and others.

On Day Three, he was moving his head, arms and legs; on Day Seven, he was able to give a thumbs-up gesture. On Day Eight, he was moved to ORMCs ICU Step-Down Unit. We learned the next day that a blood clot had broken loose from a vessel in his more-wounded leg and lodged in his lung; Craig was returned to the TICU for anti-clot treatment.

     Today, Day Fourteen, Craig had a filter put into his leg's injured blood vessel to stop another clot from getting loose. Craig was lucky (or the beneficiary of a thousand folks' positive energy, candle-burning and prayers) to have had a less-dangerous outcome with the first clot; it could have gone to his heart or brain. The clot has eased somewhat; however, the blood-thinners helping with this have allowed his initial brain and lung bleeding to recur. He is back on chest suction so that his right lung can inflate; I believe that his brain bleeding is minimal, as it had only occurred once before, on the night of his accident.

     Tonight, as I took her home, Barbara related that after Craig was struck, a very good Samaritan saved his life. Without help, Craig likely would have died from his injuries on the scene. I had wondered how he could have continued breathing with four broken ribs, a lacerated liver and a flat lung. A 19 year-old stranger risked his own life by stopping his car to block the lane where Craig had fallen. After calling 911, the young man went to Craig's aid; seeing that he was not breathing, this as-yet unidentified hero administered resuscitation until he was relieved by responding Emergency Medical Technicians.

     I will track this young gentleman down: I'll see that the boy has two birthdays this year! Whoever he is, he is my hero, now and forever.

     There will be full media treatment of Craig's rapid progress towards full recovery. The doctors now realize that Craig is far from a typical 45 year-old male; he continues to surprise them with his powerful drive to recovery. This latest information adds an inspiring example of everyday heroism; the Samaritan's first aid enabled Craig to reach medical care. With repeated beyond-the-call help from as-yet unsung witnesses/passersby, an Everyman rescuer, a conscientious Florida Highway Patrol trooper, quickly-responding EMTs, valiant ORMC ER doctors and skilled TICU medical staff, Craig Franzoni continues to educate us all about bicycle cab driver toughness and strength of will.   

     Craig cannot yet speak and he still lacks the fine motor control needed to write; his expressive eyes, however, communicated all that I need to know: he's back! I forgot my planned first words to him; I simply assured him that we have everything under control and that he should rest and recover. He will, and we are seeing to it that the entire industry benefits from his story.

     Craig and I will soon (a few months max, IMHO) be together again in our shared shop; we will resume working together to realize our goals: a local bike cab drivers' association and Craig's planned Pedicab Central shop.

4/17/08

     Craig is scheduled to be moved into Step-Down today and will soon be in a regular hospital room. Doctors are predicting that he will be discharged by the end of the month, to begin months of therapy to complete his full recovery. By then, we will have organized his hundreds of 'cabber friends and even more well-wishers to raise funds to cover his medical bills. If we have anything to say about it, his story will have a happy ending.

                    Hugh E Webber           Earth Shuttle Pedalcab