Stolen Potential
Andrew Haslem rode his bike across the country in 2016 and celebrated in Santa Monica with his two leaders, Tim and Liz.
Photo courtesy of Andrew Haslem.
On September 7th, I had the opportunity to speak to Andrew Haslem over FaceTime. This was the day after I returned to Connecticut after wrapping up #EyesUpRide in San Diego just a few days prior.
I learned of Andrew earlier this summer while I was supporting Overland Summers’ cross-country bike trips as they rode the final leg west to Santa Monica. On August 4th, I had the pleasure of riding with American Challenge group A for 15 miles to Lucerne Valley, California.
I rode in the back of the group and was chatting with one of their leaders, Charlotte Rossi, about distracted driving, raising awareness, and my plans for after #EyesUpRide. I mentioned the series of interviews and articles featuring people affected either by distracted driving or some other avoidable incident on the road I worked on this spring. As we were chatting, Charlotte told me about one of the students in her group when she rode cross-country with Overland in 2016, Andrew Haslem.
Andrew is from Los Altos, California and the American Challenge trip was his first with Overland. A strong cyclist and integral part of the social dynamic within the group, Andrew thrived in this environment: a massive physical challenge shared with a group of brand new friends over six weeks. Charlotte reflected on their trip and about getting to know Andrew while riding cross-country: “Andrew was the ultimate team player…he was always incredibly kind, supportive and intelligent and I couldn’t imagine our group without him. We called Andrew and another member of our group “pit crew” because they changed all of our flats and were always eager to jump in when bikes needed repairs or tune-ups.”
After Andrew successfully rode his bike cross-country, he committed to the world of competitive road cycling. He moved quickly up the amateur category ranking system, advancing from novice (Category 5) all the way up to “Cat 1” (Category 1) - the highest level in amateur road cycling. Andrew competed in over 75 road races in the three years after his cross-country ride and finished in the top 10% of athletes (many of them professionals) in 20 of the races. He was good and had huge potential very early in his cycling career.
In September 2019, Andrew had a trip planned from his home in Los Altos up to visit a friend in Tacoma, Washington - a distance of about 1000 miles. He was off to a great start and had easily completed three consecutive 150+ mile days when Andrew was hit by a car in Newport, Oregon and was left with a broken left orbit (eye socket)and a bad concussion. Fortunately, he was able to recover from that crash and continue racing in the following months despite never making it up to Tacoma on his bike.
Just eight months later, on May 2, 2020, Andrew’s life was changed forever. On a training ride on Highway 154 in Santa Barbara, Andrew was struck by a car traveling in the same direction. Andrew was descending from a 20-minute training climb he had ridden countless times to prepare for the upcoming 1000 mile Three Peaks Bike Race in Austria. He doesn’t remember that day or much from the months following. Andrew suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and a broken elbow resulting in a right arm that he still cannot fully extend. This crash was not one that Andrew would ever fully recover from.
Andrew woke up from a coma three weeks after the crash and would spend another five months in various hospitals in the area. He returned home in late 2020 in a wheelchair but fairly quickly re-learned how to walk and perform normal daily functions. The major lasting impacts from Andrew’s crash include limited extension in his right arm, not being able to drive, and no more outdoor cycling and some issues with his memory. While Andrew is physically capable of riding outdoors, he said he “could die if [he] got another concussion.” Instead of taking that risk, Andrew rides an indoor bike trainer with the occasional outdoor ride on a recumbent trike that was donated by cycling friends and teammates.
The resilience and positivity I felt from Andrew on our call was incredible. Despite this life-changing setback, Andrew has not been slowed down. He went back to school as soon as he could to complete his studies and graduated this spring from UCSB with a B.A. in history, graduating with honors. This year alone, he has clocked in over 2,600 miles on his bike trainer and is out walking every day.
Andrew graduated from UCSB in spring 2022 with a degree in history. To celebrate this special day, he wore the same socks as the day he finished riding across the country in 2016 (see image above).
Photo courtesy of Andrew Haslem.
When I asked Andrew if he missed riding outside, he said: “I’ve pretty much forgotten riding outside because I have been on the trainer now for almost two years and am so used to it.” On top of his commitment to physical activity, Andrew works part-time at the restaurant that sponsors his former cycling team, Terun, and is looking for full-time work as an administrative assistant.
I asked Andrew what has been the hardest part about moving on from this crash and setback. Not being able to drive was his answer. “It’s hard to meet people. I can’t drive. How would your life be if you couldn’t drive?” Andrew has been living at home since his crash and is content there until he lands a full-time job, at which point he hopes to move into a house with some other friends he met who have also suffered TBIs.
It was never confirmed by police reports whether the driver who hit Andrew was distracted or not. Regardless of the cause, many, many people like Andrew’s lives are forever changed because of a car. Finding the cause of these avoidable crashes may bring closure in some ways but it won’t change the fact that Andrew’s pro cycling career was halted in one fleeting moment.
Andrew’s attitude is to keep moving forward. I am in awe of Andrew’s outlook and commend him for his resiliency. Without knowing the cause of Andrew’s crash, we can look to our cycling infrastructure as another area for improvement. Even with distraction-free driving, inadequate accommodations for cyclists and other users of the road leave a troublingly high chance of accidents to happen. Marked bike lanes, physical barriers, and wider, marked shoulders are a start. A more widely adopted awareness of cyclists on the road is in need, too.
I will let the words of one of Andrew’s American Challenge leaders, Tim, wrap things up here: “Andrew’s resilience these past years is remarkable. Andrew is a warrior, plain and simple. He is stronger by the day, in every way; his future is bright. I know that he will continue to inspire so many people on his journey.”
A huge thank you to Andrew for sharing his story and for his infectious positivity - I wish everyone had a chance to get to know him. Thank you for reading!
I am raising money to fight distracted driving. To help me reach my fundraising goal of $50,000 for TextLess Live More by the end of 2022, visit this link. Thank you for your support!
-Ben Grannis
#EyesUpRide
