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For couple, in comes help on wheels

After a motorcycle accident sidelines a firefighter and his wife, pals and supporters jump in to lend a hand.

By DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD, Times Staff Writer
Published September 19, 2007

Jimmy Ruffino of Clearwater, left, Rick "Fonz" Spencer of St. Petersburg, third from left, Dave Floyd of Largo, second from right, and Ken Hoover of Kenneth City visit the benefit for Palm Harbor fire fighter-peramedic Mark Wood and his wife, Teri at the Legion Riders Post 104.
	[Douglas R. Clifford | Times]

When the motorcycle finally stopped, veteran Palm Harbor firefighter Mark Wood looked over his shoulder and saw his wife, Teri, lying motionless in the road.

"I ran over to her and asked if she was okay, and she said, 'Fine, as long as you are here,' " Wood, 51, recalled recently.

During his 25-year career, Wood came to the aid of thousands of people, including saving the life of his lieutenant who had a heart attack at a fire scene in 1997. But since May 19, he has been the one in need of help.

That day, the driver of a Chevrolet sport utility vehicle hit a median and lost control, forcing the Woods' Harley-Davidson motorcycle into a curb on Keene Road north of Drew Street.

The SUV driver, 33-year-old Christina M. Jones of Seminole, was charged with careless driving. She took a defensive driving course and paid a reduced penalty of $106.70, according to court records.

The collision vaulted Teri Wood, 45, from the motorcycle. She suffered extensive road rash, scrapes, injuries to her lower legs and a mild concussion.

Mark Wood's right leg was trapped under a brake pedal and he slid more than 150 feet down the middle of the road. He fractured his left clavicle in four places and suffered soft tissue injuries to his left shoulder, abrasions, a scalp injury and a concussion.

Teri Wood has recovered enough to return to work, but colleagues and friends continue to shower the couple with support.

"We were blown away, wondering about our finances," Mark Wood said. "But we have a lot of good friends and people who are not going to let anything bad happen to us."

In the days and weeks after the crash, people began to help, including firefighters with Palm Harbor Fire Rescue who stepped in to cover Wood's shifts.

"We had several people bringing food and cutting the lawn," Wood said. "They did anything and everything for us. It is very, very humbling and it is difficult to receive all of this."

Last week, friends and supporters came together again on the couple's behalf. At 4 a.m. Sept. 9, bikers with Legion Riders Post 104 gathered around the guy they call "Nick the Cook" to smoke 120 pounds of pork and barbecue 78 pounds of chicken, which was later served with potato salad, beans, chips and drinks to raise money for the Woods.

For an $8 donation, hundreds of supporters joined the Legion Riders and members of the Fire and Iron Motorcycle Club, Station 15, of west-central Florida, to fill their stomachs.

The event, held at the Legion Riders Post, 7550 60th St. N in Pinellas Park, raised more than $2,800 for the Woods.

Bill Harting of Palm Harbor, the retired fire officer whom Wood helped during a heart attack in 1997, brought his entire family to the event.

"Mark rapidly recognized what was going on and took over. I am probably alive because of it," Harting said. "Hopefully, he will be able to recuperate and have an active and successful life."

Rick Mansure, a Pinellas Park firefighter and member of the Fire and Iron Motorcycle Club, helped organize the barbecue and raffle. He expects Wood, a two-time Palm Harbor firefighter of the year, to return to light duty in four to six weeks.

"He will have to pass tests to see if he can be a firefighter again," Mansure said.

As a certified fire service fitness instructor, Wood is required to carry 80 pounds of equipment, including air packs and bunker gear, for his job.

Mansure said he's glad he can help the Woods through hard times.

"Mark would have been the first one to do this for anybody else," Mansure said. "He would never ask for anything. In fact, I am sure he is uncomfortable that we did this. He is a proud guy, but he would step up anytime there is a need to support."

Fast facts

How to chip in

Palm Harbor firefighter-paramedic Mark Wood and his wife, Teri, suffered concussions and other injuries in a May 19 motorcycle accident. Teri has recovered enough to return to work, but Mark will be out for four to six more weeks.

Visit www.fireandiron15.com for more information about making donations for the Woods.

[Last modified September 18, 2007, 23:00:43]