After life-altering motorcycle accident, couple faces future with courage and humor, and a lot of support from friends and family
The story of how Tyler Stone and Jessica Abbott met is the stuff of a sweet romance movie.
Abbott had accompanied her uncle, Tim Quigley, and his son, Derek, to a motorcycle ride hosted by the Roscoe American Legion Post 801.
无毛视频淪he was riding on the back of her cousin无毛视频檚 bike, and at one of the stops, she cracked a funny joke at me. At the next stop, I asked her if she无毛视频檇 help me with the 50/50 and we started talking,无毛视频� recalled Stone. 无毛视频淟ater, I asked her cousin if he无毛视频檇 be OK with me asking her to ride back with me, and she did and we无毛视频檝e been together since then.无毛视频�
Their love story started on the back of the Harley-Davidson and it grew, with regular motorcycle rides with American Legion Post 801, where both are members, and frequent outings 无毛视频渙n every nice day we could get.无毛视频�
On a warm, sunny day in September 2023, the couple rode to the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, where Stone surprised Abbott by kneeling on one knee and proposing on the observation deck, with the magnificent Seneca Rocks towering in the background.
Two days before Christmas, Stone and Abbott purchased a house in Monongahela, and celebrated the holiday there amid packed boxes.
But on April 15, while returning home from lunch at a Connellsville restaurant, the couple were involved in an accident that would alter their lives.
They were riding northbound on state Route 201 in Rostraver Township when a southbound driver crossed the yellow line, bounced off a guard rail and side-swiped Stone无毛视频檚 motorcycle.
无毛视频淎s soon as my fiance saw him coming, he swerved, so the driver side-swiped us instead of hitting us head-on, which we probably wouldn无毛视频檛 have survived. He hit us from the right side. I believe the motorcycle was connected to the car until it came to a stop, so we were dragged along on the bike until then, and then it tipped over,无毛视频� said Abbott.
When emergency responders arrived, they found the couple in bad shape, with life-threatening injuries.
Abbott suffered a gruesome compound fracture to her right leg, and she lost nearly half the blood in her body. Before paramedics arrived, a stranger who happened upon the scene stopped to help. He applied a tourniquet to her leg, which likely saved her life.
Meanwhile, Stone suffered two skull fractures and a brain bleed, a broken right right femur, a shin injury, and had three toes nearly ripped off.
Paramedics amputated Abbott无毛视频檚 badly damaged leg below the knee at the crash scene.
Stone and Abbott were rushed to the emergency department of UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh, where doctors grimly assessed their injuries.
There was so much muscle and tissue damage to Abbott无毛视频檚 remaining leg that doctors ended up amputating it above the knee.
Three of Stone无毛视频檚 toes on his right foot were amputated and a rod was inserted in his leg.
After lengthy hospital stays, Stone and Abbott, both requiring wheelchairs to ambulate, are recuperating at the home of Abbott无毛视频檚 father and stepmother while their house is being renovated to accommodate their needs.
Abbott is a veterinarian assistant and Stone is a heavy equipment operator, and they will be unable to return to work anytime soon.
Despite the couple无毛视频檚 long recovery and uncertain future ahead, their optimism is remarkable, said Abbott无毛视频檚 uncle.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 very proud of both of them for how they无毛视频檝e handled what they无毛视频檙e going through. They无毛视频檙e totally amazing, and they无毛视频檙e well-loved around here.无毛视频�
无毛视频淚 believe a positive mindset is important. I believe in mind over matter, and a positive attitude will give you a positive outcome. I have sad days, but never negative ones,无毛视频� she said.
Stone said he marvels at Abbott无毛视频檚 optimism.
无毛视频淪he has such a great attitude, it无毛视频檚 fantastic. It无毛视频檚 fascinating to me to see how high-spirited and fun you can be in such a bad situation,无毛视频� he said.
For Abbott无毛视频檚 part, she admits the couple has good days and bad days, 无毛视频渂ut the good days far outweigh the bad.无毛视频�
Also helping through the ups and downs of their recovery are the family members, friends and strangers who have provided constant help and support 无毛视频� making meals, helping them get to doctor appointments, and constantly checking in for updates.
The Roscoe American Legion Post 801 has hosted two fundraisers, Jessica and Tyler无毛视频檚 无毛视频�80s vs. 无毛视频�90s Throwback Night and a spaghetti dinner, to help offset medical costs.
无毛视频淭he outpouring of love from family and friends has meant a lot to us. The American Legion has pulled together so much for us, and people are helping us so much so that we can focus on getting better,无毛视频� said Abbott.
无毛视频淭he weekend before the spaghetti dinner was the 无毛视频�80s vs. 无毛视频�90s night, and it was so much fun. We were sweating to the 无毛视频�80s, people were wearing tutus and spandex outfits with (slouch) socks, little girls were dressed up so cute. There has been a lot of love all the way around, a lot of love. The other day, people were taking ramps to our house so we can get back in it. People I went to high school with are helping, and I无毛视频檓 getting cards and letters from people I无毛视频檝e never met.无毛视频�
Seven-year-old Seraphina Andrews of Vestaburg is hosting a lemonade stand fundraiser on June 29 at Hoods Up Quick Lube in Monongahela because she 无毛视频渨anted them to have money so that the doctors can make them better.无毛视频�
Together, the couple is preparing for a life much different from the one they had planned.
Abbott will soon be fitted for a prosthetic leg, and Stone is scheduled to have a fourth toe amputated and continues to recover from his leg injury.
无毛视频淲orkwise, I was a vet assistant, and I无毛视频檝e never seen a vet assistant with a prosthetic leg, so that has changed a lot for me what my life is going to be like now. I just want to get on the road of getting my prosthetic and learn to drive again, how to get up and down the stairs. I don无毛视频檛 know what my future holds, but I know it will be something great,无毛视频� said Abbott. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e had dreams that I无毛视频檝e always wanted to do, like own a sandwich shop and other things. I have a new outlook on life. I have learned through this to do what you无毛视频檙e passionate about, do what you want because you don无毛视频檛 know what无毛视频檚 going to happen. You don无毛视频檛 know when, in an instant, you might not be here.无毛视频�
Both have started physical and occupational therapy, and Stone, who has started to use a walker, is hoping to start bearing weight on his leg soon.
无毛视频淚 thought I was making good progress until I found out I have to have the other toe amputated, so that kinda was rough, but hopefully the rest is healing and I will be walking in the next couple of weeks,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 been rough and life-changing, but I无毛视频檓 hoping we can get back to some normalcy sooner rather than later.无毛视频�
Abbott is finding silver linings following the accident. She has struck up a friendship with the man who helped her at the accident scene, and has celebrated the recent birth of his and his girlfriend无毛视频檚 baby. The couple are working on renovating their house, installing a large bathroom and bedroom downstairs 无毛视频渟o we can be independent and on our own and turn the house into what we want it to be.无毛视频�
Stone is scheduled to be installed as the Legion无毛视频檚 ride director.
The couple has not set a wedding date.
无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 something to look forward to down the road. We无毛视频檙e busy focusing on recovery,无毛视频� said Abbott. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 scary to a point, but I无毛视频檓 glad I无毛视频檝e gone through this with someone I love. We can heal together.无毛视频�
Stone agrees.
无毛视频淚 couldn无毛视频檛 see myself doing this with anybody else,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚t doesn无毛视频檛 matter to me when we get married, as long as I get to spend the rest of my life with her.无毛视频�