By EMS1 Staff
PLANO, Texas — A fire captain who was critically injured in a motorcycle accident is thanking the first responders who came to his aid.
Capt. Mark Hardy was riding his motorcycle last August when a box flew off a truck in front of him and struck him in the head, NBC DFW reported. Hardy, who was wearing a helmet, suffered injuries to his brain, face and shoulder. The driver was charged with failure to secure his load.
Interim Police Chief Michael Hill, who was first on the scene, initially thought the wreck was fatal. But Hardy said if it wasn’t for the quick response of police officers, fire and EMS - some of whom he trained - he probably wouldn’t be here today.
“It’s very ironic,” Hardy said. “If any hands had to show up and take care of me, if it couldn’t be my brothers here, I’m glad it was just somebody that I was responsible for teaching skills that they brought with them that day.”
Hardy spent two months in rehabilitation after his hospitalization. He returned to work in February. He thanked the first responders Tuesday where officers from Howe and Van Alstyne Police Departments and a Careflight EMS crew member received plaques.
“I did my job. I did what I was supposed to do, what I signed up to do,” Hill said.