Quebec man says 'life is better' after nearly losing hand in workplace accident
David Doonan says his accident helped him appreciate life, come out of his shell
Motorcycle enthusiast David Doonan nearly lost his right hand after it got caught in a machine that bore down 1000 pounds of pressure between two rollers.
By the time Doonan managed to pull the emergency stop and wrench his hand free it was "all skeleton."
Despite going through a year of recovery, physiotherapy, and multiple surgeries, Doonan said he felt he is better off now.
"To really be honest, if somebody said 'I'm going to give you your hand back, but you're going to be in the state of mind that you used to be,' I would say 'no.'"
"Because now, I enjoy life, I'm really grateful for life. I'm much happier."
The Eastern Townships man said everything changed for him after the accident, including his attitude.
He credits the experience with helping him come out of his shell and becoming more involved in his community.
"Life is better," said Doonan.
One reason for his sunny outlook? He is now able to ride his cherished motorcycle.
'I feel safe riding it'
After the accident, Doonan thought he'd never be able to ride again.
"They took me out of the shop and on the stretcher, I remember pointing to the ambulance guy and telling him, 'look that's my new bike. You want a bike? It'll be for sale soon.'"
That's when local motorcycle expert Pierre Beullac stepped in.
"When Pierre saw my hand, I could see that he was hurting for me," said Doonan.
"And I knew he would do something about it."
Beullac helped Doonan modify his bike so that he could find another way to operate the right hand brake.
"Since David could not operate a front brake with his hand, we figured out a way to just give him proper front brake operation with what was available," Beullac said.
Now the right hand brakes are activated by a simple foot pedal.
"I was so happy," he said. "I feel safe riding it."
Doonan said Beullac and an organized group of doctors, nurses and other caregivers helped him get to where he is now, physically and emotionally.
"You meet all these people and they change your life."
with files from Claude Rivest