Bad News about bill - Badly Hurt

I'll be thinking about Bill and his family as well. Please keep the updates coming. What a horrible accident.

 

I don't know Bill personally, but from seeing his numerous helpful posts on here, he has to be a great guy. I am praying for him and hoping for a full recovery soon. Hang in there, Bill!

 

Just seen this awful news, our thoughts and prayers are with you, Bill, from Wiz in Australia. Get well soon.

 

I don't sign on to this site every day so this news came as a shock. Bill is a great asset to this community. First to welcome a new XJ owner and a significant contributor for the issues of the more experienced hands.

Get well quickly my good friend! We need you back on the site!

 

My prayers and thoughts are with Bill and his family, may God watch over you and give you strength.

 

Not good news.

I live on the other side of the world from Bill, but from the interactions I've had with him on this forum, I like the guy.

Get well soon mate!

 

Prayers on the way from NE. Bill, you and your family are in our prayers.

 

Thinking of you Bill, wish you get better real soon.

Daz - London - England

 

Hang in there Bill, Best wishes.............Ronnie

 

All of our prayers are with you and your family Bill. WOW I am in shock. I would like to say so much more but can't get the words out right now. god be with you bill.

 

wow very saddening.....only knew him a short time and never even met him, but he was always willing to help. Seemed to just be an all around good guy. My thoughts go out to him.

 

One of the most consistently friendly and helpful guys here, and that is saying something. My thoughts are with Bill and family, lets all be careful out there.

 

My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family

 

This is horrible, it doesnt seem possible.
Bill is XJBikes.com
he is an integral part of this community, whether its welcoming you, helping you fix your bike, whether he comes there to lend a hand or just talks you through it, and he is also a great person to shoot the bull with.

It it horrible that he died two times on the way to the hospital, though I'm glad to hear he's stable. I really hope He doesnt have brain damage, my Grandpa had a stroke, and it just wreaks havoc on a family, not being able to communicate with a loved one.

Bill, please, pull through this one, may God realize what an important person/friend/ Father you are and give you a speedy recovery.
You'll be in my prayers

i'm also very interested in an adress to send cards or flowers. Thanks, Lance

 

Bill,
I don't know what else to say that hasn't already been said by many others already, other then that through reading your posts & listening to your advice you have made a difference in the lives of many an XJ owner including my own. My prayers and hopes are with you and your family. I pray for the woman and the child, and hope she relizes how much pain a little inattention has cause so many.
Adam

 

i'm not a regular poster - and sometimes I'd ask what had already been asked - but Bill almost always chimed in with a point in the right direction.

my prayers are with you Bill. heal well

 

Thanks RT for the update. I suspect Bill is one of the first us newcomers to the forum get to "know". At least that was my experience.
Appreciate you keeping us up to date on his condition.

 

Bill Update #2

I spoke with Bill's brother early this evening. The good news is that Bill's condition remains critical and his progress could best be described as neutral. Neutral under these circumstances actually means he is holding his own.

The swelling in his brain has worsened some as expected but not nearly so much as it could have. Per the doctors the first 3-5 days for someone in this condition are crucial and determine the long term prognosis. The doctor and nurses have given mixed signals concerning his reactions to stimuli. For example some say his pupils dilated in reaction to light...others say no. At this time in the process mixed opinions are way better than uniformly negative ones.

In his first day Bill could breath somewhat on his own. Currently he is being assisted. This is again not entirely unexpected given the swelling. Another positive is that though his heart stopped twice in route to the hospital, once there the hospital has been able to easily maintain his heart beat.

Some of you have asked for how to send cards, flowers, etc. Bill's brother noted that he could not receive them now anyway. When he is moved out of critical care to a normal care room I have been given permission by his brother to post the hospital address so you may do so.

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers and look for the next update from me.

Artie(RT)

 

Thanks for the update
I got to thnking, is there some way we could all sign something as a whole forums? Like we get a big ol card, write our name and a message, and then mail it tothe next person on a list of people that want to participate?
Anyone interested?

anyways, i remembered that Bill posted his picture on one of my topics, so i dug it up, Heres a pic of bill, though, i dontt hink thi is how he looked most of the time:

 

No wander he has not returned my phone calls. I had no idea. I was going to talk to him about my new bike and the upcoming ride. I am sorry to hear this. I sent him an email sunday night and he replied to it on monday morning. I have since been trying to get in touch with him but i did not know this had happened.

 

first, my heart is with bill and his family.

second, i like this idea - but mail is pretty slow - what about a relay?

 

If anyone knows what hospital he is in send me a pm asap. Bill is the best guy I have ever met. He helped me work on my xj asking nothing in return.

 

Nevermind, his daughter just called me. He is in Wakemed in the ICU I am going to see him at 9:00 in the morning tommorrow. I will post again tommorrow to let you all now how he is doing.

 

Sounds like it will be a long week or more of waiting for everyone. I'm praying for this week to pass by quickly and thankful for Bill being tough enough to hang on from a direct hit like that.

 

I like the thought of a relay

 

i see the relay working in one of two ways:

1)what i'd call a "classic" relay which would be 1 person handing off to another person until it's made the loop.

-or-

2)a bunch of smaller meet-ups where a group can get together, sign the card and deliver to the next meetup place. either one rider, or a group could deliver.

#2 seems to me as it gets more people together, and i think will get the card signed faster.

am i correct that bill is in North Carolina?

 

Yes, Bill lives in Raliegh. I have been out to his house a couple of times to help him work on the xs and my xj.

 

i'm willing to collect info and try to organize/plan something if there is enough interest. i'm a relative newb here, so i understand if folks would rather have someone else do the organizing. any volunteers?

 

My thoughts and prayers are with Bill and his family as well. I've never met him in person but he and many others from this site have helped me more than I can say with my bike.

If there's anything I can do here in maryland let me know.

 

schooter pm sent.

 

I say when the time is right we all send a card to let him know we were thinking of him and to let him know we appreciate the efforts he made for so many people here on this site.

 

Skeeter I'll help you organize getting a card relayed across the globe if we can. Or we could do some kind of electronic thing his brother/wife could print out and take to him when he is out of ICU.

Since he has a brain injury it's best he's unconscious, medically induced or other wise. His brain needs time to heal.

Speaking from a paramedic point of view, losing someone's heart beat during transport, when they are critically injured like that, happens a lot. When the brain goes into shock the blood pressure lowers. You really can't find a pulse by palpitation. Even on a monitor during transport you can get a funky heart rhythm, and road noise/truck movement will make the monitor some what unreliable at times. (tho i think the newer life packs compensate someone for those conditions)

Things for Bill will get worse before they get better. He has a very long road ahead.

I hope for the best for him.

 

How about we get his home address & send Bill's family cards of support first, then when Bill is out of ICU we send him cards then. Just a thought.
Gregg

 

+1

 

I have Bills home address if anyone would like it so you can send a card send me a pm and let me know.

 

please send email with address to lorenforney@yahoo.com or pm me. email works best.

Loren

 

Medical facilities and staff are are amazing nowadays. They'll pull him thru. My thoughts and prayers are with him also.

 

just to make sure nobody misses this:

Get Well Relay

 

Jarred, PM sent!!

Posted that I can cover almost all of Nebraska!!! Everyone able, please help out.

If we need more than one, which I think is more realistic, try to organize one in your neck of the woods.

Bill is a great guy in my estimation and needs our support!!!

Godspeed Bill. Keep your stick on the ice!!

Greg

 

if you cover nebraska, I would gladly meet you and drive on to St. Louis

 

This is worth considering because Bill's family probably don't like bikes very much right now and maybe need to see the love here. I don't know if Bill would want to ride again, if he makes it, but it would sure be easier if his family knew the bonds that take place from riding because it's more than just a sport. Riding and caring for ones bike can fulfill ones life and bring people together by sharing their passion together. I know that my life wouldn't be the same if I quit riding. Accepting the risk is what sets our breed apart from the others.

 

Okay Im home now. I saw BIll this morning and he is doing better. All his vitals had improved and everything looks good so far. I am now in the process of trying to get Bill home address replied back to everyone.

 

What is Bill's username?

 

His username is Bill.

 

Jarred,

Can you please PM me his address?
Is there anyway you can also contact the family and see what their needs might be? I'd like to help out. I'm very glad to hear he is doing better.

I was supposed to meet him today after work. I only found out today after I checked for a pm reply from him, and he did not respond. He usually replies that day if not within the hour. I was just checking in before I rode over to meet him because I needed his address.

He is not only a nice guy, he really cares for others and gives and offers help willingly and freely. He's always looking out for everyone. I'm sure most will agree. I know we're not doing the ride to the aviation museum now. But are we meeting at the IHOP to maybe sign a card for him still?

 

Get well soon bill.

 

Good to hear that Bill is doing well

 

Glad to hear Bill is improving. Our thoughts and prayers will remain with him and his family.

 

Update on Bill #3

I have spoken with Bill's daughter just minutes ago. Bill continues to remain critical but steady. His temperature is only slightly elevated at 99.1 deg F. His brain pressure has fluctuated throughout the day between 23-30 (don't know the units). Around 6pm however it seems to have leveled off on the low end at 23. Sustained pressure above 29 is considered a major cause for concern.

I reported the get well card relay that is forming across the country to his daughter. I believe the best description of her response is stunned amazement and appreciation.

Right at the moment his family doesn't immediately need much more than your prayers and the constant encouragement and actions that you are taking (such as the get well relay). Think about it for a minute...if Bill was this influential on a web site where most people only know him by his posts, imagine the affection those of us who know him in person have for him. He is surrounded by close friends, family, and church members. However, the time for more help may come in the future. Bill's recovery will be for the long haul and his current caregivers will need some relief. Hang in their, continue to do the things you are doing, and the opportunity for helping more is bound to come.

Bill now has a web page at,

www.carepages.com.

Go to the page, enter some minimal information to get a user account, and then search on Bill's care page using the keyword "williambillschmitt." His family and friends are providing periodic updates on his condition.

I will post a similar message in the get well relay thread.

Artie(RT)

 

Hey Artie, the link to set up an account FireFox no likey. Says the security certificate is identified with another site. Is this legit?