• 01
  • February
    2012

A year and a half ago, things were far from super for New York Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka.

He and his older brother, Ben, had just been in a terrible accident on motorcycles.

The pair were on twin Honda CBR 1000s, cruising side by side when a woman pulled her gold Kia Rio right out in front of them. Mathias was able to brake in time, but though Ben hit the brakes on his cycle, he crashed into the vehicle and was thrown 100 feet.

His wrists were shattered, along with his thumbs. His right arm was torn open just above the elbow.

Mathias thought and acted quickly, taking off his black t-shirt and tying it around his brother's bleeding arm to slow the loss of blood.

"He saved my life," Ben told a media source. "He didn't even break stride."

Ben's injuries were extensive: fractured leg, cracked ribs, broken right foot and a bruise to his heart. Not to mention that he lost 10 pints of blood that day.

For weeks afterwards, Mathias wrestled with nightmares of the crash, seeing images of his brother lying in pain on the ground.

He also struggled with his own physical problems, including a herniated cervical disk in his neck that threatened his playing career.

He spent some time weighing his options, talking over the possibilities with his family and then decided to work to rehabilitate his neck and play at least another season.

Now he's just days away from competing in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots.

Ben's recovery has been almost complete. He's back at work and is able to make a fist with both hands and has a full range of motion.

Life can be changed forever in a moment by a negligent driver. Accident injury victims do well to discuss their legal options with an experienced, effective attorney.

Source: nydailynews.com: "NY Giants' Mathias Kiwanuka's family, stunned by motorcycle accident, now gets to share Super Bowl joy," Kevin Armstrong, Jan. 30, 2012