INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis father of two is grateful to be alive after he was hit by a motorcycle while crossing 38th Street near the Fairgrounds last week.
Jack McArdle remains at IU Methodist recovering from a host of injuries, including two punctured lungs, a ruptured spleen and compound fracture in his left femur.
"It was kind of like a movie. I just remember not being able to hold myself up," said Katie Swaney, Jack's wife, when she saw him in the ICU.
Jack, who lives in Broad Ripple, had gone out for an evening bike ride as he often does. He took the Monon Trail south to 38th Street. That's where a new pedestrian bridge is going up so pedestrians and cyclists will no longer have to cross several lanes of traffic to continue on the Monon.
Jack was following the detour at Winthrop, which is a block or so west of the trail head. He saw two cyclists in the median. Katie said as he started to cross.
"He saw the motorcycle. There were no lights [on it], and it was just on top of him. He said he remembers someone standing over him saying don't move, help is on the way and that was it," she said.
While Jack has a long recovery, Katie is beyond relieved and ever grateful for the cyclists who were there to assist and call for help.
"[Jack] lost a lot of blood, moving from the scene to the hospital. Had whoever was there not called when they did, he probably wouldn't have made it. My boys wouldn't have a father," she said.
But Katie is also upset, calling the crossing where Jack was hit very unsafe.
"I haven't been on there as a biker or pedestrian, but as a driver, you have no idea the detour is there," she said.
The Department of Public Works has reduced the speed limit along that stretch of 38th Street to 25 mph, put in rumble strips and some other signage. But there is no sign warning of the Monon's detour crossing until drivers are right in front of it.
"We need signs people in cars can see," Katie said. "When you're driving, we need very clear signage that says you need to stop if people are here."
The motorcyclist was also taken to IU Methodist Hospital. 13News has learned that motorcyclist later died.