Chase Johnson Speaks, Provides Latest Medical Update
Chase Johnson Speaks, Provides Latest Medical Update
The latest update on Chase Johnson as he continues to recover from Aug. 24's accident at Silver Dollar Speedway's Gold Cup Race of Champions.
Chase Johnson continues to gradually make progress from his multiple vertebrae fractures sustained from Aug. 24’s vicious Gold Cup Race of Champions accident at Silver Dollar Speedway.
The Penngrove, Calif., Sprint Car racer posted a video Tuesday on Facebook speaking about his condition for the first time since last month’s accident that required extensive surgeries to repair fractures in his C4, C5, C6, T10 and T11 vertebrae.
“Hey everybody, just wanted to check-in and say thank you. I can finally talk now,” the 28-year-old Johnson began his 81-second video from UC Davis Medical Center. “Wanted to get on here and just say thank you for all the support from everybody. It’s been truly amazing to see everybody’s support, everyone’s messages.
“My family has been keeping me updated. I’ve been seeing people’s comments and posts, and people’s donations. It’s truly amazing. I just wanted to say thank you to everybody.”
Johnson has been at UC Davis Medical Center since that vicious accident at the Gold Cup Race of Champions, where he ran seventh during the 40-lap, $100,070-to-win Gold Cup finale when on lap 13 he lost control of his No. 24 race machine. Johnson needed to be extracted from his race car and helicoptered to UC Davis Medical Center where he’s been on the mend since.
Johnson had made his High Limit Racing debut at the Chico, Calif., bullring, where he finished third behind Corey Day and Spencer Bayston on Aug. 22’s Gold Cup prelim night. Johnson has 20 starts in 410 Sprint Car competition this year with one victory July 27 at Santa Maria (Calif.) Speedway on NARC’s King of the West Racing Series.
“Like I said, I can finally talk now, which is really great,” Johnson continued. “It’s been a tough road to get to this point, the most pain I’ve ever experienced in my whole life. Didn’t know that pain could be this hard, but I’ve been working really, really hard to get better.”
Johnson was also enlightened to share that he’ll soon be leaving UC Davis Medical Center to rehab at Atlanta, Ga.’s Shepherd Center, which is regarded as one of the best spinal cord and brain rehabilitation facilities across America.
“Really looking forward to getting there and getting to work,” Johnson added. “Like I said, working really hard to get back to 100 percent. Thank you to everybody for your support.”