“You Are Just Thankful”

Joel Gustafson, a Lincoln man who survived a motorcycle crash after being hit by a delivery van is sharing his journey and reflecting with gratitude this Thanksgiving.

In September 2024, Gustafson was riding his motorcycle near 33rd and Nebraska Parkway in south Lincoln. He was wearing an open-face helmet and safely operating his Harley Davidson after a chiropractor appointment. As he was driving through the intersection, a delivery van turned and struck Gustafson. He was unable to avoid the collision, hitting the rear passenger side of the vehicle and run over.

Gustafson was quickly transported to the Bryan Trauma Center for urgent care. His injuries were life-threatening and he arrived as a category one patient, the most severe. Gustafson suffered a brain injury and multiple broken bones, including both arms, clavicle, an ankle and vertebrae in his back and ribs.

“In the moment, you don’t realize what a patient’s percentage of living is,” said Dr. Chrissy Guidry, trauma surgeon, Bryan Health. “It’s interesting to look back and now we know that his chances of survival were 40 percent, which is extremely low. At the time, you just do everything you can to try and save that patient.”

A multi-disciplinary team of medical specialists at the Bryan Trauma Center cared for Gustafson immediately. Emergency surgery was required to stabilize his condition. Over the course of the next several weeks, Gustafson spent time in the intensive care unit (ICU) and underwent multiple procedures to repair his injuries.

After nearly 50 days at Bryan Medical Center, Gustafson was well enough to be discharged. He spent significant time at a rehabilitation facility where he participated in physical, speech and occupational therapy. After five weeks of rehab, he was finally well enough to go home.

Today, one year removed from his crash, Gustafson is living his life with a sense of gratitude. This summer, he saw two of his adult children get married. Additionally, he will become a first-time grandfather in May. He also returned to work as chief operating officer/administrator at Surgical Associates, P.C. He’s worked in medicine for almost 40 years and is well-known in the Lincoln medical community.

“I didn’t really look at his face when he arrived because we are so focused on our goals to stabilize,” said Sandy Kirchner, trauma advanced practitioner lead, Bryan Health. “After the CT scan, I realized it was Joel. Immediately, I knew the entire medical community would come around and support because that is what we do in Lincoln and at Bryan Medical Center.”

Gustafson has physical limitations and continues to care for his mental health. He sees a counselor weekly and experiences physical pain. He also carries a notebook in his pocket because his memory isn’t quite what I used to be. However, Gustafson has a new outlook on life and is grateful for each day with his family and friends.

“Going through something like this, you’ll never come out the other side the same way,” Gustafson said. “The part that we as patients deal with is really hard. But I was lucky to have the care team here at Bryan. You just don’t know when this is going to happen to you, and if it does, how thankful you become to have these kinds of people take care of you.”

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