Today in motorcycle history, February 8, 1997
Motorcycle stuntman Corey Scott dies in Miami, Florida.
Scott's interest in motorcycle stunt riding began at the age of 15. So upon high school
graduation in Dacatur, Indiana, in 1987, Corey moved to Florida.
Performing for years with the Joie Chitwood Chevy
Thunder Show. Corey specialized in wheelies, the motorcycle-car precision
driving exhibition and the motorcycle-pick up jump, where he jumped a moving
truck with a ramp attached to the back. Scott performed in over 2,000 shows with
the Chitwood organization. While with Joie Chitwood, he performed stunts such as the Human
Battering Ram (??), the Slide For Life, the Leap for Life, the Aerial Wing-Walk, the
Roman Rider, the Motorcycle Firewall Crash and Crash Rollovers. Corey eventually
left the Chitwood organization and formed Scott's Super Stunts.
In 1995, he took a break from stunt-riding to
recuperate from a head injury, but in 1996, he went back to performing. On February 8, 1997 at the
Orange Bowl stadium in Miami, Florida, he was supposed to drive his motorcycle
off a ramp and land into a net that was hoisted high into the air, a stunt he had performed successfully a number of times previously, Scott was
suppose to grab the net upon hitting it, but he missed and fell 60 feet to the
ground. He was killed when he landed on his head, breaking his neck. Corey Scott was 28 years old.
I want you to think about this the next time you go off high-flying into a net somewhere.
I got to the stadium early that afternoon to prepare for the Monster Truck, Moto-cross demonstration and to my surprise a ramp and a net stretched between two cranes. I had a bad feeling about what I saw from the first time I saw it. I was on OT as one of three Paramedics assigned to the event at ground level. I inquired often and with some serious concerns to all who would listen for several hours prior to the jump. Finially I spoke with an event organizer and told him of my concerns. I asked him how much does he get for this stunt. He told me 10K. I then back off a little thinking who am I to mention my concerns when that much money was on the line. Besides, all I could do is get myself reprimanded for trying to stop the jump. Just before the jump, Corey came up to me and asked me if I was the medic that would assist him if needed. I said yes and he told me his blood type and no allergies. I wanted to tell him my concern but knew that it wouldn't matter and I didn't want to jinx him. Within a few minutes he is making some practice runs at the ramp bypassing and thrilling the crows of 40 thousand plus people. Then he makes his run, he hits the ramp so hard it almost seemingly came apart. As he left the end of the ramp I already had engaged the Rescue Scooter and was approaching the end of the field where the net is. I'm driving the scooter. I have already pointed the thing down field as I entered from the 50 yard line sideline when I saw him let go of the bile which hit first causing the net to become very taught. He then hit the net and both arms went through the netting squares and he immediately bounced back toward the direction of the ramp. He then fell and went to the left of the pocket that was meant to catch him should he have needed it. I think he might have also blacked out from the G Force of the ramp because he looked unconscious as he fell, like a rag doll, no flailing. I closed my eyes before he bounced off the ground. My fellow workers did not. They could hardly function as we assessed him. I carefully removed his helmet and noticed bruising on his neck. I removed his mouthpiece. Began CPR. Intubated him and then observed his EKG. All he had were P waves. Little bump regular with out a QRS. He was DEAD. Injuries non compatible with life. However for the sake of the crowd we worked him. I still remember hearing the PA Announcer telling people to go home and that everything possible was being done.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't over for me , I was already blaming myself. I went home that night very troubled. I finally feel asleep, sometime in the night maybe early morn I awoke and Scott or his Spirit was hovering over me while I laid in my bed. I have never ever experienced anything like that but some how I knew it was him! I have no idea what that meant!