David Murphy of Newark was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle in   July of 2013  through Fairville, when he was hit by a 17 year old driving an SUV. He was taken to Strong by Mercy  Flight where he spent a total of 9 weeks, 2 unresponsive and 4 in the  Rehabilitation unit.

According to his wife, Tracy, she was told he had less than a 1% chance of walking again.

“This man is one of the most active people I know. He hunts and fishes, and when he’s not doing that he is working. He is a funeral director in Newark but helps  out all of the funeral homes between Buffalo and Syracuse,” said Tracy.

The Murphy’s friends and family rallied around them and helped them raise money to build a new deck and  a wheelchair ramp. The money also helped them make renovations to their bathroom so that it was more accessible for his wheelchair.

In January 2014, David went to a  Sportsman’s Show and was introduced to the “Action Tracker” chair. This chair would allow him to maneuver over any outdoor terrain with ease. It is a wheelchair that resembles a tank.

Once again friends and family have rallied around the couple to help them  achieve their goal of $13,000 to purchase that chair.

Last week their was a “ Zumba-thon” fundraiser at Refuel in Newark and that event raised just shy of $1,000. The family’s “Go Fund Me “ fundraiser came in at $4,000. The rest of the money they borrowed.

Tracy reported that last week, her  husband got up and went out on his action tracker chair and got a turkey.

“He was so happy. I’m pretty sure that the spinal docs didn’t have this in mind when  they told me my husband would be independent in a chair,” said a grateful Tracy. “I am  so proud of my husband for not giving up, but for our friends, family and community for not giving up on us! Sometimes it’s the little things in life we take for granted, and sometimes the little  things aren’t so little.”