By Kirsten Robbins
Saul Raisin made an appearance at the start of Stage 5 of the 2007 Tour de Georgia in his hometown of Dalton, Georgia. He rode one parade lap of the neutral circuits and later announced his recent engagement to Aleeza Zabriskie.
The young Credit Agricole rider has spent the last thirteen months recovering from a life threatening crash at the Circuit de la Sarthe in April of last year. His crash resulted in a hematoma the size of a lemon in the right side of his brain. He spent one week in a coma and awoke with a temporary paralysis to the left side of his body. Raisin claims he has been given a new perspective on life because his near death accident last year and does not take life for granted.
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Raisin attended the Tour of California in February to ride each course ahead of the professional peloton to raise awareness for his foundation Raisin Hope, an effort to help those who suffer from brain and spinal cord injury. On the way home he was recognized by, now fiancé, Zabriskie. She had attended the Tour of California to watch her brother Dave Zabriskie and his CSC team in competition. Raisin commented on their short encounter. "She came up to me to introduce herself to tell me that she had prayed for me everyday since my accident," Raisin said. "I knew then that she was an angel watching over me and we have been together ever since. She has been to my home in France and this month I took her to a little chapel near my home behind Nice to propose to her."
