Mary Brickey is the definition of well-rounded.
She’s an artist. She’s a full-time teacher at a residential treatment center for teens. She’s the mother of six kids. She loves the beach. She also happens to love riding motorcycles. They’ve been part of Brickey’s life for as long as she can remember.
Brickey grew up riding bikes with her dad, and in 2022 she decided it was time to get a bike of her own.
On October 30, 2022, just a few months after purchasing her new motorcycle, she was on a group ride up Provo Canyon when things went wrong.
Brickey—an experienced rider—didn’t feel in control of her bike. She pulled off the road so she could figure out what was happening, only to realize her brakes had gone out.
“I was going about 45 miles an hour, couldn’t stop or slow down, and ran right into the corrugated metal barrier at the edge of the pull-out area,” Brickey said.
Unfortunately, when she hit, her foot was pinned between the barrier and the bike, and the force of the impact threw Brickey off her bike. Her leg was severed at the knee. It was left behind with her bike and she pinwheeled through the air, landing 30 feet down the hill beyond the barrier.
“I was surrounded by trees and rocks and a ravine, and I landed in the only clear spot in that entire area,” Brickey said. “I was wearing all my protective gear, but it is still remarkable that I had no injuries from landing, only from the original impact with the barrier.”
Although Brickey knew she was hurt, she didn’t yet know she had lost her leg. Within 15 minutes of the crash, a helicopter arrived to airlift Brickey to Intermountain Medical Center (IMC) in Murray. As soon as she arrived at IMC, Brickey went into surgery.
After coming out of surgery, Brickey learned about the extent of her injuries.
“When they told me I’d lost my leg in the accident, I said, ‘Well, at least it wasn’t one of my arms’,” she said. “I’m an artist, so I can do without a leg, but I can’t do without my hands.”
Brickey continued to take the news in stride. When she realized Halloween was the next day, she made an important phone call to her sister.
“I told my sister I needed a pirate costume,” Brickey said. “So, she sewed me a costume and I wore it in my hospital bed on Halloween.”
Three surgeries and 10 days later, Brickey transferred to the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital at University of Utah Health.
Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital uses the latest advances in rehabilitation technology to help patients with severe injuries and disabling conditions. Patients have access to an extensive network of regionally and nationally recognized specialists.
Brickey spent six weeks at the Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital, where she even had two additional surgeries due to an infection in her leg. She felt incredibly lucky to be there.
“The state-of-the-art facility was wonderful, and the staff, from nurses to doctors to cleaning staff and physical and occupational therapists, were supportive, compassionate, and hard working,” she said. “It was the best kind of experience at a critical time for me. I felt so well taken care and well prepared for the next stage in my healing.”
While at Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital, Brickey’s main focus was improving her core, hip, and functional strength.
“My care team helped me become independent about taking care of myself, taught me better balance, which is essential with just one leg, and strengthened the muscles I would need to be able to walk with a prosthetic,” she said. “A liaison from the Hanger Clinic in Murray came to visit too, and it was so nice to have a mentor to prepare me for what was coming after my leg was healed.”
On average, patients wait six to eight weeks post-amputation before they are fitted with a prosthetic leg. After leaving Neilsen Rehabiltation Hospital, Brickey visited the Hanger Clinic to be fitted for her new prosthetic leg.
Once fitted with her leg, Brickey transitioned to the Sugar House Health Center for physical therapy with Spencer Thompson, DPT, NCS, team lead for the outpatient amputation program.
Right away, Thompson was impressed and inspired by Brickey’s attitude and resilient spirit
“The first time I met her, she showed me the picture of her dressed up as a pirate the day after her amputation,” Thompson said. “I love how from day one she decided to accept it.”
Even when Brickey had difficult days, Thompson has yet to see her give up.
“She’s had days where it’s been really hard and frustrating and discouraging, but I’ve never seen her allow it to cause her to be defeated,” Thompson said. “She’s such a support to other amputees.”
Thompson spends a lot of his hours working with patients who have had a lower extremity amputation. He facilitates Sky’s the Limb-it, an amputee support group sponsored by the University of Utah.
When Thompson sees Brickey on his schedule, he knows it’s going to be a good day.
It’s been nearly 18 months since Brickey’s amputation, and she is still shining bright, despite the challenges that come. For her, a strong support system has made a world of a difference.
Since the accident, Brickey’s children and extended family have done all they can to support and help her.
As an artist, Brickey is very involved in the local art community. Less than a week after her accident, her friends in the art community organized an art show to help raise money for her medical expenses.
“The accident was on Sunday and the art show happened on Friday, just five days later,” she said. “It’s just such a gift to know and feel that I have a support system that’s there for me no matter what. I know not everyone has that.”
Beyond a stellar support system, Brickey has another trick up her sleeve that helps her deal with struggles and setbacks: humor.
“We laughed a lot in the hospital,” she said. “People would visit, and we would just laugh and have a good time. It’s how I grew up and I just think that makes life so much better if you can find humor in the situation.”
Brickey also does her best to see challenges as an opportunity to redefine herself.
“I can become a new person now,” she said. “What do I want going forward, now that I’m in a life that I never thought I’d be in? Let me find the opportunities here.”
Brickey has yet to get back on her motorcycle, but she plans to at some point.
“My philosophy is to get back on the horse,” she said. “I am going to ride a bike at least once, just to show myself I’m not afraid of it, not afraid of anything that may have hurt me in the past, not afraid of adventures, not afraid of living.”