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SEATTLE - A late-night ride home from work turned into a long road to recovery for a Seattle bartender after a vehicle struck his motorcycle last month.
Danny Pettet, an employee at The 5 Point Café, was riding his motorcycle home on June 27 when he told FOX 13, a distracted driver pulled in front of him at the intersection of 15th Avenue and Gilman Drive. The collision launched Pettet across the vehicle.
What they're saying:
"I put my hands on his hood, and I remember my face hitting the hood as well," Pettet said, noting that his protective mask was filled with blood. "I got a bloody nose and flipped and did all of the gymnastics."
Danny Pettet
His severe injuries will require extensive therapy
Pettet was rushed to a local hospital following the crash.
"My leg bent enough to, it bends this way, so it bent enough this way (uses hands to motion) to almost snap the bone," Pettet said. "It did not snap the bone, just pulled the muscle out."
Pettet is currently undergoing both physical and occupational therapy every week to regain mobility.
Danny Pettet
Community rallies around 5 Point employee
To assist with his recovery, The 5 Point Café launched a fundraiser on Pettet's behalf. Pettet expressed deep gratitude for the sudden outpouring of local support.
"It was the first job I got out of rehab and now I’ve got about 5 years sober and 5 years at the 5 Point," Pettet said. "I didn’t have anyone, and now I have people showing up for me that I didn’t even know knew I existed."
A warning to other riders
Pettet credits his survival to his safety equipment and now urges all motorcyclists to wear proper protective gear, specifically emphasizing the importance of full-face helmets.
"If I didn’t have that full face, I’d probably be dead right now," Pettet said. "Bare minimum, broken nose, broken jaw, all my teeth out."
Despite facing months of rehabilitation, Pettet remains positive about his survival, calling himself "the luckiest guy ever." He hopes to return to his job at the café by early or mid-September.
His local community has put up a fundraiser on his behalf.
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