The Modern Adventure Pro Cycling team issued an update on the serious injuries to their 20-year-old rider Ezra Caudell, who crashed while racing the Philadelphia Cycling Classic on August 30.
According to the team's statement, Caudell has been taken out of an induced coma and, now that he is no longer heavily sedated, is able to "interact, communicate, and recognise those around him", giving his family, friends and team massive relief from eleven days of worrying.
"Eleven days after his crash at the Philadelphia Cycling Classic, Ezra Caudell remains in the ICU at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in critical condition, but he continues to show encouraging signs of progress," the team wrote.
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"Ezra remains on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), which is providing support while his lungs continue to heal. Yesterday marked an important milestone: he was successfully weaned from deep sedation and taken off the ventilator, allowing his family and medical team a much clearer assessment of his neurologic status."
Caudell was attempting to bridge across to the breakaway along with Lotto-Intermarché's Milan Menten along Kelly Drive and were closing in when Caudell looked behind to see the gap behind and hit an obstacle in the road and crashed, according to reports. According to Menten, Caudell hit a lamppost and was knocked unconscious.
"Ezra sustained significant injuries in the crash, including a concussion and severe chest trauma. While his medical team remains focused on supporting his recovery from these injuries, his progress over the past several days has been encouraging," Modern Adventure said in the update today.
Now that he is no longer heavily sedated, they said, "very much consistent with Ezra’s personality - it wasn’t long after waking that he was making jokes and sending short videos to his teammates.
"His ability to interact, communicate, and recognise those around him has been an especially welcome and encouraging development."
Caudell's friends established a GoFundMe to help support his family, who moved to Germany to support his cycling ambitions and are facing housing and travel expenses in addition to medical expenses for his care. The fund has raised $83,251 of the $100,000 goal as of September 10.
"Ezra’s family remains at his bedside, vigilant and hopeful. He is very much on the minds of his teammates and staff at Modern Adventure Pro Cycling, as well as friends and supporters throughout the cycling community.
"We are deeply grateful for the extraordinary outpouring of support for Ezra and his family, and for the continued respect for their privacy during this difficult time.
"Important milestones still lie ahead. But after an extraordinarily difficult 11 days, there is genuine reason for hope as he begins his road to recovery," the team concluded.
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