BRANDON NILES

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BRANDON NILES ASKS....

Well... I’ll start off by introducing myself. My name is Brandon Niles. I’m a 34yr old Ecudorian-American male whom resides in St. Petersburg, FL. I am a father of 2 boys (ages 5 & 7) and a beautiful step-daughter (age 11). I was born in Los Angeles, CA and pretty much Florida raised. My pops was in the navy so, after being stationed at Miramar base in CA, he transferred to Mayport base in Jacksonville, FL, where I grew up most of my life. Since I can remember when I was a kid, I wanted a motorcycle. I begged my parents for a dirt bike every birthday and Christmas from the age of 4, until I moved out the house when I was 17 lol, They never got me one unfortunately and nor did Santa lol. I was however very lucky to have a father who had a love and passion for motorcycles. He exposed me to the bike scene very young. Taking me as his backpack on several rides, bike meets, and to and from school as a kid. But due to my over worrying mother he was never able to give me the dirt bike I always wanted. I grew up riding on the back of his ‘89 Honda V65 Magna VF1100, then his 2010 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail, and then his 2014 Harley Davidson Fatboy. As soon as I moved out on my own, I got to fi nally get my taste and need for some of my own throttle therapy adrenaline. The freedom and sense of power you feel and become engulfed and swarmed with riding a motorcycle is compared to that of no other. I started out on my friends 2 & 4 stroke dirt bikes, then I got to try my buddies ‘08 Suzuki GSXR 600. I became even more infatuated with sports bikes. I ended up getting a ‘99 Honda CBR F4 and then had my ‘08 Honda CBR RR, my baby named Irie.

I miss it dearly till this day, but hope that God willing, hopefully by this year if not by 2023, I pray to be back on 2’s....or 3’s at least lol. I don’t really want a trike as it’s not my style, but bagger with a side cart, a T-Rex, or a sport’s bike with a hydraulic arm lift of some sort to be able to ride on 2’s again and be able to balance at a stop, (As I no longer have my legs or knees) would make me one of the happiest men on Earth again. You see, this month on the 16th of January 2022, it will mark the 3yr anniversary to the day that I had my legs taken away from me in a hit-n-run accident. I should of died that night, but my will to survive and be there for my kids and not let the new man in my baby momma’s and kids lives be the one to raise them. I’d be damned if I let that happen. They really gave me the strength and will to survive and pull through, as I laid there in the middle of the road with my left femur broke, both my legs chopped off completely, my left bicep had been pulled out, and my left forearm bones had both broke in half but didn’t pierce the skin, so it was just dangling there. As I laid there in shock and worry, I knew that I had to control my breathing and gather my thoughts. I needed to stay as calm as possible in order to control the rate of my blood bleeding out to death, in order to give myself a fi ghting chance of pulling through for my kids and family. If I had a chance at all that is. I decided to pretend that I didn’t even notice the both of my legs were gone and that the only injury I had sustained was that of my arm.

What happen, you ask? Well I was riding my bike to go meet up with the fellas at the bar. Jan 16, 2019 it was around 10:30pm at night, no rain, clear visibility, it was a beautiful night outside to ride. As I headed northbound over an overpass ramp, I watched the car on my right hand

side continue parallel to me through the separating dividers. As I was in the far left fast lane I went to throttle out and go through the traffi c light and I expected the vehicle on my right to eventually merge northbound with me in the far right lane. Instead in the split of a second this mofo decided to hit an illegal sharp ass left turn at the light to go into an Applebee’s plaza.

We’re always trained to keep our head on a swivel and to be aware of all our surroundings when on a bike, to keep a heightened awareness for danger and idiots on their phones, not paying attention, especially in FL none-the-less St. Petersburg/ Tampa area. I had practiced quick stops in parking lots before and considered myself a very good experienced and aware rider, but nothing can really prepare you for all the diff erent variables you may face when it’s your time to go down in the real world. Unfortunately that is just part of the territory with riding motorcycles. We run the risk of losing our lives every time we throw our leg over the tank to ride. But at least it would be doing something that we loved, which is why we’re addicted to, and do it. Though I highly urge anyone with loved ones that rides to set a will and get life insurance on yourself so that if you do perish doing what you love, your loved ones are taken care of still when your gone. Many of us love speed and the thought of just cheating death by a couple milli-seconds. We chase the thrill and adrenaline euphoria feeling that takes over simultaneously, continuously, and relentlessly. We’re taught to dress for the slide and not the ride, because at any given moment, it could be our time. So I urge anyone reading this new or old, it’s never too late to start, to wear proper gear, yolo and it can be the diff erence between life and death. Not trying to be the gear police but it is a fact that you are safer with the gear. Thankfully I was wearing all my gear this night and I truly believe it’s because of my gear and God that I am still here alive, of sound mind and body, well and breathing writing my story. I had my riding boots, jeans, gloves, chest protector, riding jacket, and my helmet on. I always went out riding in full gear because I knew at any given second it could be my time to bite the dust. Either by hitting a gravel patch, fucking off , or some idiot in a vehicle not paying attention. I knew my chances of survival would be far greater wearing gear then that of me not wearing any when riding, plus I love my ink and want to protect it too lol. So please if your one of those, like me whom always like to push our limits riding and really test the limits of the bike, or if you have loved ones that count on you. Don’t quit what your doing or give up what you love, but please dress for the slide and not just the ride. Practice quick-stops in a parking lot at varying speeds, ideally speeds of 45mph and up. Practice, practice, practice. Had I practiced my quick-stops more I feel I may have been able to avoid the idiot that cut me off that night and clipped me.

I slammed on both my hand and rear foot brakes immediately as I noticed this mofo deciding to hit a sharp illegal left turn in front of me to cross 6 lanes of traffi c and the median to the Applebee’s. My brakes lock up and my bike hydroplanes into the rear back side bumper, just enough with the momentum to throw me up and over the handlebars, up and over the car into the center median traffi c pole sign. My bike then ghosted itself down about 3 more blocks ahead, as my body hit the traffi c sign about 2ft off the ground, it bent the pole a full 90 degrees. I believe thats what broke my left femur, forearm, and bicep, the initial hit of the pole. My body then continued to slide up the pole to where the square and diamond traffi c signs proceeded to act as razor blades and sliced my legs off both just under the knee. I was left there for dead as the car that cut and hit me off , just drove off like nothing ever happened. I went to lift myself up on my left side when i noticed I broke my left arm as I couldn’t lift myself up with that side and had to roll myself to the right side to sit up. I take off my helmet and begin to assess myself for any injuries sustained in my accident. That’s when I went to try and stand up and realized as i looked down at my legs....I couldn’t even get myself up if I wanted too, to go and whoop this guy’s ass. I processed how this guy literally just cost me both of my legs. I was shocked and distressed but went into survival mode and pretended that my arm was my only injury. Thank God that night there was a state trooper whom had he not just started his shift and been there at that moment to witness the incident and act as quickly and effi ciently as he did to put my legs in tourniquet, then I wouldn’t be here still breathing today. State Trooper Cole saved my life that night. He used is 1 tourniquet on one leg and used his tie on the other leg until a bystander came by and gave up his belt to act as a tourniquet for my other leg. I lost 10 pints of blood that night, pretty much a whole body blood transfusion. The guy who hit me was a 20yr old at the time. His father made him come back to the scene about 2hrs later. He had a suspended

license, no insurance, violation of probation, and had 12 felonies on his record already, smh. Needless to say, I got extra fucked that day as not only did he cost me my legs, but my bike and way of life. All gone in just seconds. Tomorrow is never promised , remember that. Live everyday as if it were your last and be grateful for what you do have, because it may not be there the next.

The guy that hit me was sentenced to 5yrs. I’m glad that justice was served in that sense, but it will never bring me back my legs or way of life. I’m very grateful and happy to still be here today, to be able to still wake up to the fresh air and be able to take care of my kids. I have a great job at a doctors offi ce doing medical records now, have a gorgeous girlfriend, and am just enjoying life and can’t wait in anticipation of being able to get out and ride again. I won’t be an everyday rider like I used to be, but I will still go out on weekends and group rides on a bike again eventually. Until I can aff ord a custom bike for myself because of my legs then jeep life at the bike night events it is lol. I included my facebook (Brandon Niles) and email (b.niles1418@ gmail.com) in case anyone whom needs some uplifting, words of encouragement or motivation due to being hindered in life from an accident or other life changing experience to be able to reach out to me if they want to and have someone they can relate to.

I believe God has a plan for everyone. You may not realize it right away but eventually you will. I feel his plan for me is to act as a sign of hope for people in similar situation’s as to mine and show them that life is not over. To show people that no matter the cards that we are dealt in life, that it is what you make it out to be. A mind over matter kind of sense. In other words, don’t dwell on the negatives in life, just focus on the positives and keep it pushing. Look at me, I lost both my legs at the age of 31. I didn’t sit there in the hospital in pity or sorrowfulness for myself. I decided not to sit there on my ass in depression about my new life situation. I chose to adapt and look at the positives and continue to live my best life. I knew with today’s day in age of technology I had the possibility of walking again in the future. I didn’t know how as to I was gonna be able to aff ord them, but knew it was a positive possibility to believe in. I knew that there are people in this world whom have it way worse than me, that there will always be someone whom has it worse than you. Therefore rejoice and be grateful for the blessings that we do have in life. Everything you need is provided by the one above, you just have to trust and have faith. God answered my prayers not even 6mo after getting out of the hospital and sent me my angel Steve Chamberlain, the man behind 50 Legs who then sent me to Stan Patterson, the man behind the best prosthetic place to be in FL, aka POA (Prosthetics Orthotics and Associates) in Orlando. Between them and the 2 veterans that passed away and donated their microchip processor knee prosthetic genium legs to 50 Legs, then I wouldn’t have been able to have been walking again within my fi rst year of losing my legs (granted it was with a walker lol). I wouldn’t be standing or walking and being able to do the things I can now if it weren’t for those 2 men and their establishments helping me to get where I am at today in life. I truly urge anyone who can to donate whenever/ whatever they can to 50legs.org as they truly are a non-profi t organization out here doing God’s work and not only helping individuals like myself in the bike scene but other amputees of all kinds and several kids as well. Prosthetics are far from cheap and every dollar someone gives can mean another leg for someone to walk/ stand tall again. Much love to all my bike fam out there, I love you guys and girls and I will see you guys out on the road again soon, believe that 100%.