An East Lothian GP who suffered a fractured skull, ribs, and femur after a bike accident has thanked his community for their support in the months following his accident.
Neil Black was riding his e-bike on Canongate Bridge near Dunbar on November 6 when he was struck by a deer. The 63-year-old suffered a fractured skull, five broken ribs, and a fractured femur.
Following the incident, he was left with no memory of the incident due to a brain injury.
The night of the incident, a passing driver noticed Neil and his bike on the side of the road and called an ambulance. Neil was rushed to the Royal Infirmary where he spent 10 days in intensive care, two weeks in a trauma ward, and two weeks in rehabilitative care.
Examination of the bike revealed deer fur and faeces on the vehicle, which indicated the incident was likely a deer strike.
Neil thanked the Dunbar community for their support during his recovery
(Image: Supplied)
The retired GP had never sustained such serious injuries and described himself as “not a risk taker”.
He told Edinburgh Live: “I’ve never had any serious accidents at all. I am a very safety-conscious person. My professional job makes me aware of things that can go wrong.”
Neil continues to recover and thanked the members of his community who chipped in to help out their local GP in his time of need.
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The Dunbar resident is well-known in the area from his three-decade career as a GP and from his work as a medic for the RNLI in Dunbar.
He and his wife – a retired primary teacher – are active at their local church and have friends from their involvement in the local choir, food bank, and lifeboat squad. Neil is also a regular sea kayaker and said he and his wife try to be “visible” in the community.
Neil expressed gratitude to the many people who provided support following his accident, with many pitching in to bring frozen meals and do household chores.
He told Edinburgh Live: “It feels amazing. In some ways it feels undeserved but also so great that the community is so wholeheartedly positive. I feel uplifted.
“Every time my wife walks up high street she felt like some kind of celebrity.
“It is comforting to know that people came out to support us.”
Neil also took to social media to share his gratitude, saying: “Thank you to the many folk in the Dunbar community who have supported us during the last couple of months.
“I’d like to thank all those who’ve helped whether it be from the church community, the lifeboat, Dunbar medical centre, kayakers, and neighbours. We’ve felt uplifted by the care and concern shown to us.”
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