Danny's Life Changing Accident

By Christina Griner (Danny's Mom)

 

 

It was a beautiful day in April, in fact it was April 22, 2001 a day that I now will never forget...it was the last time I was able to walk through the woods hunting mushrooms with my son, without him needing a wheelchair.

 

Later that same day, Danny and a few friends went riding on their 4 wheelers, having a great time riding around and making some simple jumps that they enjoyed doing. Little did anyone know that a jump that Danny had made before would end up so tragically that day.

 

At the age of 23 while making a jump on his 4 wheeler, Danny overshot the landing ramp and flipped forward over his 4 wheeler, landing face down. And if that wasn't bad enough, the 4 wheeler managed to do a bounce landing right on top of Danny's back.

 

The accident left Danny with bloodied eyes, a crushed left arm and dislocated wrist along with other minor injuries.  But the worst injury resulting from this accident is that he had 2 fatal breaks in his spinal cord confined to a wheelchair.

 

After reaching the hospital and having x-rays, it was determined that he had crushed both his T-5 and T-6 vertebra's which would leave him paralyzed from the chest down and little hope of ever walking again.  Danny under went several procedures and tests to see what if anything could be done, but to this date, nothing has helped.  Danny spent over a month in the hospital and rehab center healing up and learning how to care for himself enough to be able to go home...where he also asked, if they would teach him how to get into his race car!

 

During all this time, I had to sit and watch my son go through depression, anger and disbelief of what had happened to him...only to have him come home and start working on his race car again!  Danny's racing is what got Danny back into life, it is all he lives for.  Danny has often said that to him "a life without racing, isn't a life at all".

 

I'm very proud of my son, for following his passion and not ever giving up on his dream to be a professional race car driver. Danny grew up in a racing family, from his dad, uncle and grandfather, he was fortunate enough to get experience at an early age and his desire has only grown over the years.

 

This is my tribute to my son, for all he is to me, his family, his friends and for all he wants to be for you...The Racing Fan!

 

After The Accident...

 

Two years of Go-Kart racing and another two years of UMP Modifieds before his accident, had given Danny the experience he needed to climb into a Sprint Car. The only difference is, he now uses hand-controls to "Stand on the Gas."

 

To find out how you can show your support through sponsorship, please check out Danny's Sponsorship Package, it's full of information and more photo's!  Or if you just wish to make a donation to the Danny Pollock Racing Team, you can do so here:

              

Thank you to all for your support and contributions, to a very worthy and deserving young man!

 

***ALL donations of $100 or more will receive an autographed 8x10 color photo of Danny with his car and a free t-shirt. (Please state your size).

 

Christina Griner

(Danny's Mother)

Email: christina@dannypollock.com                                      

 

 

Additional Reading: Danny Pollock's Story by Michael King