Bouquet: On Sunday night, Oct. 11, I was involved in an accident on Breitung Avenue near the Kingsford Post Office. A deer came out of nowhere and broadsided me while I was riding my motorcycle. I was going within the speed limit and not driving recklessly. I don’t remember anything about the incident until I woke up in the emergency room with a concussion, a broken collarbone and some bruises in places where I didn’t even know I had places.

I would like to thank the person who witnessed the accident and called it in, the Kingsford Public Safety Department, Integrity Ambulance Service and the Dickinson County Healthcare System emergency room personnel and hospital staff for their quick action and professionalism.

I was wearing a helmet when the accident occurred, which probably saved my life. The emergency room doctor told me that only 1 in 1,000 people walk away from a situation like I experienced. Only my helmet and the grace of God prevented something more tragic from happening.

Last summer, I noticed a lot of people out riding their motorcycles, many without helmets. I’m not going on a “crusade” here and I don’t want to sound “preachy,” but I would like to encourage riders to consider wearing helmets. I know the feeling of “wind-in-your-hair”and “bugs-in your-teeth,” but I also know what I could have felt that Sunday night. You are important to somebody.