Outpouring of support for injured Legere

From the Injured Racers Association of Atlantic Canada

HALIFAX, NS -- A Sept. 6 accident saw Beaverbank, NS racer Charlie Legere suffer serious spinal cord and leg injuries. The spinal cord injury left Legere initially paralyzed from the chest down. What happened in the following days would see family and friends overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for the injured racer and his family.

Mere days after the incident close friends began collecting donations and organizing fundraising events to help Charlie and his family in their time of need. The Injured Racers Association of Atlantic Canada, a non-profit organization was formed. The goal of the Association is to organize events and provide support to injured racers and their family. Legere will be the first beneficiary.

In the initial days after the crash Legere had two operations on his neck and one on his leg, all being considered successful. After roughly one month he had a talking valve inserted and began speaking again. A few weeks later his tracheotomy was removed once he demonstrated he was strong enough to breathe on his own again. Shortly after the tracheotomy was removed his Nasogastric tube, used for administering drugs and feeding was also removed. Legere is now allowed small amounts of water and is on a steady diet of soft foods

Approximately two weeks after the incident, the first of many planned events took place. The local race community pulled together to put on a Track Day with all proceeds going to Charlie and his family. The Atlantic Roadracing League donated the event insurance and all profits, MRTS donated its medical services, Paul MacDonnell donated tow services and Atlantic Motorsport Park donated the track rental. Riders showed up in droves with an estimated 70 riders taking to the track over the course of the day. Combined with donations at the track and food sales, over $8,000 was raised.

Two weeks later the racing community came together once again to support Legere and his family, this time at Kokomos in Bayers Lake, NS for a benefit auction. The auction was a resounding success with items and things to see and do for everyone. Veronika Larson offered to shave her head if she was able to raise $5000. Carol Little also set a goal to shave her head of $2000. Both goals were happily met and both girls lost all of their lovely locks. Colin Neily, a last minute addition offered to have his chest waxed for a goal of $500 or $20 a strip. Colin achieved this goal quite easily and endured a bit of pain for a good cause. At the end of the auction everything was tabulated and just over $43,000 was raised.

The day following the auction Kartbahn located in the Bayers Lake Business Park hosted a six-hour endurance race, providing 25 percent of profits to the injured Legere.

Two months after the crash Legere has made excellent progress. He has regained a lot of feeling and movement in his arms. He is currently in the QEII Health Sciences Rehab Centre after moving from the QEII hospital one week ago. In rehab Charlie will be working towards strengthening and improving the use of what he currently has, as well as regaining the use of systems currently not available to him.