That Podcast in Hutch - John Fairbanks
A profile in determination and resiliency - in spite of the most unlikely of odds
I came to know John Fairbanks through our shared love of cycling. And since we both love the sport, we’ve run into each other quite a bit - mostly at Harley’s Bicycles, where we’re either talking about cycling, or contemplating our next purchase.
An aside - the appropriate number of bikes to own, at least in our world, is N+1, or the number of bikes currently owned, plus the bike you’ll buy next.
I’ve wanted to interview John every since his bicycle accident on July 20. He was riding along Hendricks with members of his cycling club, when a guy on a motorcycle hit him and threw him from his bike. John ended up with a broken ankle, broken wrist, several broken ribs, and a lot of bruising and abrasions. A nurse who lived at the scene of the accident, Lacey Hardin, came out and cared for him - and instructed his fellow riders on how to treat his wounds. As he recovered, John made sure Lacey was recognized for her help by asking the Hutchinson City Council to make an official proclamation, naming an entire day after her.
But years before this accident, John overcome another challenge.
In 2005, after running a 50-mile race in the Flint Hills, John suffered a heart attack - though he indicated that he felt a little dizzy and off. Turns out he had a heart attack, and he was sent in for bypass surgery. Not long after, he was sent to Salt Lake City, Utah, for a heart transplant.
Within a matter of weeks, he was back to riding. And not just casually - competitively, with riders who are really powerful. The sort who crank out 30 miles in an evening and still have time and energy for dinner and a couple of beers.
Throughout this episode, you’ll hear from someone who refuses to let anything slow him down. I said it in the podcast, and I’ll say it here - when I think about John, I think about resiliency. And I’m glad he was willing to come visit with me and share his story.
To listen to my visit with John, subscribe to That Podcast in Hutch at Salt City Sound or on your favorite podcast streaming service.
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Don’t stop here - there’s more! Event reminder
I wanted to use this opportunity to remind everyone about two events I’m hosting on Saturday, Jan. 8. The first is from 10 a.m. to noon at Crow & Co, 2 S. Main, and the second is from 6 to 8 p.m. at Sandhills Brewing, 111 W. 2nd.
Both events are campaign fundraisers/send-off for the 2022 Legislative session ( *this part of the text is paid for by Probst for Progress, Erin Swearer, treasurer). But after a visit with my producer, Christopher Acker, we decided to invite podcast listeners down to share some of their thoughts and hopes for the upcoming session, as well as offer technical assistance to anyone who wants to learn more about how to bring podcasts into their lives.
Chris will be there with his recording gear - and if you’re feeling like it - we’d love to record a few minutes of your thoughts. If we get enough of them, we’ll put them together for an episode. Additionally, Chris is making himself available to help anyone who needs help installing and setting up a podcast player on their phones. Which I thought was really nice of him.
I hope to see you at one or both events!