Wear a Helmet

Helmet safety is unfortunately a topic of controversy and debate. To me it is a simple fact that I will always wear one!!! I used to hate them, until I learned the hard way. Fortunately enough, the entire State of CA has been able to learn from my mistake. Here is what occurred:
It was a Friday afternoon of a minimum day of school on 5 Oct. 2001 and a couple of my buddies and I went out riding and I took a pretty gnarly spill. I Ended up with bi-temporal contusions, and vertical and lateral fractures to my skull. I was immediately thrown into seizures and began bleeding from all of the pores on my face. Upon entering the hospital I suffered from pneumonia, a heart-attack, a tracheotomy that included the paralyzing of my left vocal cord, severe clotting (to the point of legitimate consideration of amputating all four limbs). The list goes on and on and on, to include everything from my left pupil exploding, to the hellish rehabilitation process of relearning how to walk, talk, and function all over again.

I learned from my mistake, so that YOU will not have to from yours. My helmet was in the trunk of my car no more than 40 feet from where I ultimately fell. I have recovered miraculously without any real lasting side effects. I have spoke at a number of elementary schools and am now attending college to pursue my eventual JD & MBA degrees. I was being filmed by my friend, and have taken the footage and created a short helmet-safety clip that is currently distributed by my non-profit ("Wear A Helmet, Inc.") to Elementary schools all over CA. I spoke in favor of the helmet bill, now a law, to the CA State assembly and Senate and it is now required that all minors under the age of 18 wear a helmet while riding a skateboard, scooter (specifically including Razors), as well as Skates (in-line and otherwise). It was an expansion of the already existent bike helmet safety law.

It just makes sense!!! While I would argue that it was my decision and that I need not be told, ordered, or even commanded by law to wear a helmet; it was never my choice, nor should ever be my choice, to put my family through what they were subjected, as well as ring up the $3.5 million hospital bill.

I did not wear one because I thought that I looked like a loser with a helmet on-but really who was the loser when I fell?

Wear One—it is easily worth it!

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Helmet
• Safety

[niceflower22]

are you ok now ?

[CADesign]

In Short -- I am livin and lovin life for sure!!! Perfectly healthy and miraculously 'sharp as a tack' and as I insisted to a friend the other day - "I am specifically referring to the pin side of that tack!"

Thanks for the interest ;]

Respectfully -

Christian A. Duncan

[hayd03100130]

Someone called me a fag cause I wear a helmet at my local skatepark. I feel pressure not to wear one because noone else does at the park!

[CADesign]

Just tell them "Sorry, I won't go out with you - I don't swing 'skate' that way!" and then totally show them up on your board!

It's totally worth the ridicule of a couple idiots to ride with a helmet - I can seriously promise you that!!!

[motoraza69pk3]

i wear a helmet and pads on my board most of my mates dont but i hope they put one on before they fall. its not cool to smash your head in and have brain damage

[sk8trick16]

yah my mom this year is going to make me wear a helmet so im trying to convince myself its the best thing to do thx

[atalayapark]

It's common sense isn't it? just wear a helmet and you won't crack ya nut :)

[michaudshow]

omg thats so sad i feel so bad for that dude :(

[dweebcentric]

ok it's smart to wear a helmet. but to get both a JD and MBA?!

[parkourmormon]

this dude is my friend. he shouldnt be here. God needs him on Earth i guess.

[lambodog11]

yeah put a helmet law on the uk

[lambodog11]

put a helmet law in the uk!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bbbrotman]

wow.

ill try to wear one

[irishswtpea]

Christian, this is such a moving video. Thanks for making it :) I'll definitely wear my helmet after hearing your story.