A Florida surgeon has lost part of his arm after being hit by a car while running an ultramarathon in the Florida Keys, when the driver fell asleep at the wheel.
The doctor, identified only as Matt D, is a professional marathon runner and was hit along with another man while running on the shoulder of the road during the 100-mile race from Key Largo to Key West during the weekend competition. last week.
The second man who was hit by the sleeping driver is a professor at the University of Miami and also an avid runner.
Both men are now hospitalized at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center after suffering serious injuries.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a 23-year-old woman was behind the wheel of a 2022 Chrysler Pacifica when the crash occurred.
Matt D, a surgeon from Florida, has lost part of his arm after being hit by a vehicle while running an ultramarathon in the Florida Keys
The second man hit, Gabriel, is a professor at the University of Miami.
In Matt D’s case, doctors were forced to amputate part of his husband’s right arm. She may never work as a surgeon again as a result of the devastating injury.
“It was supposed to be a fun event, we were hoping to have a family vacation and it has destroyed our lives for as long as we’ve known about it,” his wife, Sara, told NBC6.
The family struggles to understand how such a horrific accident could have happened during what was an organized race.
‘They were part of an official race, all I know is that they were not alone, they were part of an organized event and I don’t understand the details. Because? As?’ -Sarah asked.
“In our experience, in all these ultra races, if there is any type of vehicle involved, the roads are usually closed to vehicles, so I don’t really understand what the car was doing there,” Sara said.
As for Gabriel, it is likely that he will also lose some function in his right arm.
“It was supposed to be a fun event, we were hoping to have a family vacation and it has destroyed our lives for as long as we’ve known about it,” said Matt D’s wife, Sara.
The doctor, identified only as Matt D, is a professional marathon runner.
Doctors were forced to amputate part of surgeon Matt D’s right arm. He may never work as a surgeon again due to the devastating injury.
Both wives believe the accident could have easily been avoided.
At some stretches of the race, cones and signs warn drivers to be alert, but Gabriel’s wife says there was no warning when her husband was hit.
The two men were running south on US 1 at the time on the east shoulder.
But race director Bob Becker said only certain parts of the course are marked off.
‘The Seven Mile Bridge has a cone, not the entire length. It never has been and there has never been any comment about it,” explained race director Bob Becker.
The Florida Highway Patrol says the driver who hit the men had left the travel lane to the right, causing the right front of the vehicle to collide with the first jogger.
The vehicle then reportedly continued north and collided with the second jogger, before stopping on the right shoulder of US 1.
The report says alcohol is not believed to have been a factor in the crash.
Some on social media commented that such an accident was likely to occur.
‘The reality is that A1A is a narrow, busy two-lane road and there are no sidewalks on most of it. Not the smartest place for a race,” one commenter wrote.
‘Unless they completely close the road to motorists, how can this be prevented from happening again?’ added another.
“It’s a beautiful drive, but the roads are narrow and the cars go over the speed limit… I don’t understand why a driver would go fast near a group of runners, that’s extremely stupid, people don’t pay attention… praying for “The Two Runners,” said a third.
