The thought of never meeting his unborn son and marrying his fiance fuelled Peter Redmond’s fight for his life when he was hit by an SUV and dragged 20m along the road in May. Now, his son, Kit, is 8-months-old and he will marry Anna in June.
Biker fought injuries to meet son and marry fiance after being dragged by Porsche.
The thought of never meeting his unborn son nor marrying his fiancee fuelled Peter Redmond's fight for his life when he was hit by an SUV and dragged 20m along the road last May.
Now his son, Kit, is 8 months old and Mr Redmond will marry Anna in June.
"I feel extremely unlucky to be run over but then extremely lucky at the same time," he said. "I'm not sure if I should be alive or walking or talking and then just really grateful and like someone or something was watching over me that day."
The 36-year-old British expat was struck by a Porsche Cayenne as he cycled to work along Sarsfield St, Herne Bay in late May, dragging him 20m and leaving him crushed beneath the car for close to 30 minutes before rescuers could free him.
"I didn't need convincing, but it definitely cemented wanting to be a dad and husband. The thought of having it all taken away from me while I was stuck underneath a car wasn't nice, and that's what kept me going."
The accident saw Mr Redmond hopsitalised for a fortnight and then off work for two months, returning to work just part-time so he could attend all the necessary medical appointments.
Despite tyre marks on his helmet he avoided brain damage, but did have eight broken bones in his chest, a lacerated liver, dislocated knee, a punctured and collapsed lung and severe abrasions.
"It was really weird seeing this super capable, physically fit person reduced to three naps a day, but I also felt very blessed to have him at home with me when I was pregnant," said Anna.
Now he is back at work full-time, and last weekend cycled the Old Ghost Rd track near the West Coast of the South Island with friends for his stag do.
"I would say I am pretty much recovered, apart from a few niggles in my back and I don't run like I used to. My chest is a different shape than it used to be and I have some interesting scars and bumps.
"The scars have actually healed really well, some of them were down to the bone almost - my hip was degloved."
Peter Redmond was badly injured in the crash. Photo / Daniel Hines
The accident has affected his confidence on his bike, but not enough to make him change the route of his daily commute.
"If I hear a car coming up behind me, if I feel it's a bit loud or a bit closer than it should be it makes me worry a bit. It's definitely knocked my confidence on the road, but off-road I know the trees aren't going to run me over.
"I never saw cycling as not an option because it's such a good way to get around a city."
The driver of the Porsche that hit Mr Redmond, Auckland architect Andrew Patterson, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing injury when he appeared in Auckland District Court in October.
He was later sentenced to six months' disqualification from driving and ordered to pay Mr Redmond $3000 for emotional harm.
