Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128601
ics du jour in the motorcycling world and, unfortunately, not all of the information flying around on the topic has been accurate. Apart from the desire to wish Button luck, our motivation for this interview was to set the record straight. This telephone conversation took place on Wednesday, February 9, and we thank Button for taking time out from his rehabilitation schedule to speak with us. We also thank Button's trainer, Cory Worf, and his girlfriend, Kristi Swanson, for their assistance. QHOW is it coming along? Actuall Y, the progress is reall~ good. I've been going to therapy every day since I got here In Arizona, and things are going good. I mean I'm not walking around or anything yet, but I have feeling everywhere. I actually have movement everywhere, but I'm not real strong yet in any particular area. My legs are stronger than my arms. I can move my arms and I can move my hands, and I can move my feet, and my knees and everything like that, but as far as strength, it's just not there yet. A What is the prognosis for the future? Are you going to be able to get out of there fairly soon? I don't know what fairly soon might be. It could be anywhere from two, three months to maybe five, six months. It depends on how my body reacts to everything, and of course how fast all the trauma to the spinal cord goes down. Q A Q What exactly was the injury? I tore anterior and posterior ligaments in my neck, and I have a spinal cord bruise at [the] C-3 [vertebrae]. QDO you remember how you crashed? Yeah, I didn't black out. It was the first lap of the second practice, and the front end dropped down inside one of [the whoops]. I just didn't get my hands off the bars in time, and just went head-first right into one. That was pretty much it. The second I hit, my whole entire body went completely limp. A How long did it take for you to make nough progress to where you knew things at least weren't going to be as bad as they initially appeared? A Maybe three or four days. Q Were you handled well at the track? Yeah, actually really well. They got me right onto the steroids, and everything like that. They got right on everything the second I got there. They got me right into an MRI, and started getting everything evaluated as soon as possible. They had the steroid in me within an hour, which is real important. And then just with getting all the accurate information on what was going on, they got on top of things pretty quick. A QIS your rehabilitation frustrating at times? A Yeah. Of course doing what we do, you always want everything to be faster, quicker. But I talked to a lot of people that have been in similar situations, and it just takes time. Q Has this experience changed your outlook, or your priorities? No, still my main priority is to get out of here and walk around, but it changes your outlook on hfe and stuff like that, that's for sure. You think you've A got to win this, and you've got to win that, and do this and do that, and then you realize that just doing every-day things in life is a pretty great thing, too. Q one of the rumors flying around is that you don't have medical insurance. Is that true? No, I do have it. We do, but of course it is limited. This isn't exactly the cheapest thing you can have done, that's for sure. A What are your feelings on the response to your injury from the industry and the motorcycling public? prett y amazing, actually. I didn't realize I have as many fans as I do. It's kind of a terrible way to figure it out, but it's been awesome to see everyone coming out and doing the things they've been doing. The phone calls and support and everything like that have been pretty awesome. Q A What do you think about the mount of gossip that is being generated? I think it's just like anything. By the time it gets 10 people down the hne, you've got 10 different things going on. I think Tracy McGrath [sister to Jeremy] and everybody like that have been trying to keep everyone pointed in the right direction, and let everyone know how my progress has been going, but as far as the other things, I'm not too sure about that. A That's pretty much all we have, other than to thank you for taking the time to do this and to wish you the best of luck. Do you have anything that you'd like to add? [McGrath], Phil [Lawrence], Ryno [Ryan Hughes], Albee [Greg Albertyn] and everyone that's been praying for me and everything like that. It makes you feel good inside. I'd also like to thank our chaplain that goes to the races - Steve Hudson. He's been trying to keep everyone at the races informed Q of what's going on. He actually stayed with me at the hospital for four or five days in San Diego. Guys like that are good inspiration. A Send cards and letters to Button at Yamaha, 6555 Katella, Cypress, CA 90630. Attn: Race Dept. Jimmy Button. To help with Button's financial costs, send checks (made payable to Jimmy Button Benefit) care of AlE F.A., 1201 South Alma School, Ste. 10,000, Mesa, AZ 85224. I just thank everybody for giving me the support that they have. The guys at Yamaha have been absolutely unbelievable, and I'd also like to thank everybody at Chaparral - Dave and Linda Damron and all those guys, Gary Becker from PACE, Greg Primm, Larry· Brooks, and of course Jeremy While it's heartening to see the outpouring of support for Jimmy Button following his injury, it also may be easy to forget about 20-yearold Donovan Mitchell, who was even more seriously injured in a cra.sh at Palmdale, California's Los Angeles County Raceway on ThanksgiVing Weekend. Mitchell, who had just signed a factory contract to race for KTM in 2000, was injured when he went over a high-speed step-up jump with a blind landing, and came down on a crashed rider's bike. "I don't remember landing on my head: said Mitchell by telephone from Loma Unda University Hospital on February 10, "but as soon as I was done crashing, I was just laying there on my chest. From there, I couldn't feel anything from my shoulders down." Mitchell's injury is at his C-4 vertebrae, where he punctured the dura (the outside lining of the spinal cord, which contains fluid). According to Mitchell who recently had a plate installed with screws in the C-3 and C-5 v~rtebrae, the dura is able to repair itself, and since he didn't sever his spinal cord, he has been improving. "So far, so good,' he said. "I mean when I first got hurt I couldn't feel anything, and now the feeling's gotten down to about the middle of my chest. Right now in my right arm I can feel down into my fingers and stuff, and in my left arm down to my elbow, basically." Through therapy. Mitchell has also been locating muscles that are working (in his stomach, lower back and biceps. for example). and then exercising those muscles. And while he sometimes gets discouraged. he feels thankful for the support he's gotten. "I've got to thank my family - my mom, my dad and my sister," he says. "[Axo's] Sharon Richards, my girlfriend and a whole lot ~f other people - just all the people that have sent me cards and stuff. It s been pretty amaZing; I've gotten a lot of cards...Just to let everybody know. you'll see me at the races again." Send cards and letters to Mitchell at KTM Sportmotorcycle USA, c/o Donovan Mitchell, 930 Fesler St., EI Cajon, CA 92020. The Mitchell family has established a new-life fund to help with medical and relocation costs. Donations can be made in the name of Donovan Mltchell. The address is 5970 Courtland Dr., Riverside, CA 92506. 0:: U 0:: • ... n ... _ S • FEBRUARY 23, 2000 13