# Friend badly injured **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 23, 2013, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friend-badly-injured/671988 "2013-10-23T01:05:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friend-badly-injured/671988/1 "2013-10-23T01:05:55Z")
A very good friend of mine bought a one person helicopter as a toy. He has whatever license he needs to be able to fly the thing. A couple of weeks ago he flew over some sort of gathering in a public park. His wife and daughter were on the ground watching when the helicopter started spinning. The spin was followed by a crash and a fire in the wreckage. My friend was injured; in addition to some pretty bad burns he also sustained a brain injury and a spinal injury. He is still in ICU in a coma. All of my information is at third hand; all this took place in Ft Myers. Our friendship goes back a solid 30 years and I’m pretty shaken by the news. Send some good thoughts to him if you have the time. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friend-badly-injured/671988/2 "2013-10-23T01:41:58Z")
Good thoughts, and good wishes are being sent his way, **LouisB**. I’m so sorry that this happened. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friend-badly-injured/671988/3 "2013-10-23T01:57:00Z")
He’ll be in my thoughts. I’m so sorry, and it must be especially difficult to only get indirect reports on what’s going on. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friend-badly-injured/671988/4 "2013-10-23T01:58:35Z")
What a horrible thing. I’m very sorry for him and you. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friend-badly-injured/671988/5 "2013-10-23T02:06:47Z")
Oh, I’m so sorry. I’ll keep all of you in my thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friend-badly-injured/671988/6 "2013-10-23T02:49:02Z")
News story is (I believe) [here](http://www.nbc-2.com/story/23571919/helicopter-crashes-off-state-road-82#.Umc4g2fD9RA). Hope he is OK. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friend-badly-injured/671988/7 "2013-10-23T02:52:08Z")
Adding my thoughts in support of a gentle and thorough recovery for your friend, and comfort for you and his family. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friend-badly-injured/671988/8 "2013-10-23T03:18:43Z")
Best wishes, LouisB. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friend-badly-injured/671988/9 "2013-10-23T06:50:04Z")
> [@astro](#): > > News story is (I believe) [here](http://www.nbc-2.com/story/23571919/helicopter-crashes-off-state-road-82#.Umc4g2fD9RA). Hope he is OK. That’s the guy but they got his last name wrong; it should be Durden and not Purden. Also I had thought the accident was in Fort Myers; I even got the county wrong. As I said, I’m getting my information from another friend who gets her information from a relative of Don’s. His injuries are more severe than is reported----If my third hand info is correct. Thanks for the good wishes. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friend-badly-injured/671988/10 "2013-10-23T14:37:08Z")
Weird coincidence. I remember reading about that a few weeks ago since I live in Fort Myers. And now it turns out to be connected to a fellow doper. I hope he is better soon. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friend-badly-injured/671988/11 "2013-10-23T20:13:15Z")
About 12 years ago, my cousin’s husband did the exact same thing. Except when his one man helicopter crashed right in front of his wife and 9 month old baby and his best friend…he didn’t survive. So his desire to play with cool toys resulted in a widow and a fatherless child…at some point it’s time to grow up. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friend-badly-injured/671988/12 "2013-10-23T22:41:14Z")
This friend of mine busted his chops and made a ton of money, He bought a 53 foot sport fisherman and retired at 40. He had almost every toy any of us guys would want. I really hope he makes it. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friend-badly-injured/671988/13 "2013-10-23T23:09:33Z")
I’m sorry to hear about your friend. I hope the outcome for him is good. I can understand the appeal of personal aviation, but there are real risks. I hate to see or hear of anyone getting hurt.