He left the Penn State Activities Building after classes, preparing to get food. But by day's end, Penn State student Paul George was in a hospital bed, preparing for a life with a prosthetic leg.
On Aug. 26, 2009 -- the third day of fall classes -- George (sophomore-fine arts and theatre design and technology) was driving at a careful 20 mph on Shortlidge Avenue on his Yamaha V Star 6500 when a gray Hyundai suddenly smashed into the left side of his motorcycle.
George was thrown 20 feet through the air, landing on the opposite side of the road. His leg had been caught between the car's bumper and his motorcycle on impact.
Lying on the ground, George said he looked to his left and saw his shoe -- but it wasn't where it was supposed to be. Surrounding the shoe and staining the grass was "red, skin-colored stuff."
Realizing he was looking at his partially dismembered left leg, George turned his head and stared straight up at the sky.
"My leg looked like ground beef with beige coloring," he said. "I knew it shouldn't be there. I knew I was going to be losing some of it."
After being airlifted to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, where he received multiple surgeries, George said he had about half of his left calf remaining. But after months of physical therapy and the help of a new prosthetic leg, George was eager to stand back up.
"It's made me want to live my life, to enjoy my day more," he said. "I try to make the day-to-day quality of life better. The accident may have been the best thing that ever happened to me."
Before the accident, George said he was less motivated and had a close-minded attitude toward life. Now, he is pushing himself to value what he's been given -- a second chance.
Through all the pain and loss, George said the only moment when he questioned what would happen to him was the helicopter ride to the hospital.
"I asked an EMT to hold my hand," he said. "Once I was flying alone, I thought, 'What if this is really bad -- what if I die?' "
But George didn't bleed out. He didn't die. He recovered and started changing how he lived his life. That began by forgiving the woman driving the gray Hyundai.
"I don't hate the woman. I know it wasn't intentional," he said. "I would like to just talk with her and let her know it was an accident. I want to get to know her some."
Along with his desire to change, George said the support of his friends and family visiting him in the hospital helped him get through the accident.
And when they did visit, George said he didn't want his family or friends to feel uncomfortable or sad about what happened to him. So to keep the mood light, he would crack jokes.
"I started making jokes about 'putting my best foot forward' or 'don't pull my leg.' Nurses would say 'I'll be right back,' and I said 'I'm not going anywhere,' " he said. "I knew I was pretty messed up, but I was alive. I can't change what happened to me, so I'll just go with it."
George's friend Andrew Lentz, also a Penn State student, recalled his fear when he heard about the accident.
But when Lentz (sophomore-information sciences and technology and security and risk analysis) finally saw George in the hospital, he said he was happy his friend could laugh about the situation.
"[Paul] was kind of being the jackass he always is," he said. "It was good to see he was still being himself."
While the accident did leave scars, it also strengthened their friendship, which began during their freshman year at State College Area High School.
"We're not even friends anymore. We're brothers now," Lentz said. "I don't know how he gets through it the way he does -- but he does. I mean, there's nothing else to say. It's amazing."
Alli Warren, who has also been friends with George since high school, said she has seen a lot of motorcycle accidents in her five years as a firefighter. In George's case, he was "incredibly lucky," she said.
"He didn't let it stop him or anything," Warren said.
"He didn't get discouraged about life. He's just happy for a new beginning."
Five months have gone by since the accident, and now George is back to the old routine.
With the help of his new leg, he has begun walking toward a normal life of finding a new car, designing sets for his theatre classes and trying things he never would have before.
"I'm trying to get back into everything I can," he said. "I'm not trying to make it sound macho. It was really hard. It was harder than anything I can even describe to you," he said. "But for me, this is what I have to do. I'm going to kick its ass."
