Man, 18, lucky to be alive after road sign severs his leg in motorcycle crash

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (KMOV/Gray News) - An 18-year-old Illinois man is lucky to be alive as he makes peace with losing his leg in a motorcycle accident.

On Father’s Day, 18-year-old Logan Lackey was on his way to visit his father’s grave at Valley View Cemetery in Edwardsville. At the exit from Interstate 55 to Illinois Route 143, a pickup stopped in his path, causing him to lose control of his motorcycle.

“I swerved off to the left, and I hit the curb and flew over my handlebars. Whatever sign was right there – it’s like the merging sign – is what took my leg off,” Lackey told KMOV from his hospital bed.

Lackey’s left leg was severed above the knee when he hit the side of the road sign. He was bleeding heavily, and the injury was life-threatening, according to an Edwardsville police spokesperson. He also broke both wrists and suffered a collapsed lung.

“I remember getting up, opening my eyes and looking down at my leg, and my whole leg was just... My leg was, like, 20 feet away from me over here on the ground,” Lackey said.

As he lay there screaming for help, the 18-year-old says he felt the comfort of his father’s presence.

“God, whatever, I don’t know who’s watching over me. But I know, at least, that my dad is up there helping me out,” Lackey said.

Dakota and Lyndsey Moore, who both have medical training, stopped to help Lackey by applying a tourniquet. The couple are a police officer and a former 911 dispatcher, respectively.

“I am very grateful because... they really did save my life. Like, from the bottom of my heart, I think they saved my life,” Lackey said.

Lackey was flown to Saint Louis University Hospital in a medical helicopter. At one point, he says he had an out-of-body experience.

“I couldn’t feel myself talking, but I could hear my voice echoing. And it was, like, seeing myself laying there,” he said.

Despite the traumatic injury to his leg, Lackey has maintained a remarkably upbeat attitude. Family and friends have provided love and support during several surgeries, including his older sister, Peyton, who has barely left his side.

“This has brought me and my family closer, and I’m just going to be trying to work toward being myself again,” Lackey said. “It’s in the past. There’s nothing I can do about it. Stay positive about it.”

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family with growing medical bills.

Police are still investigating the accident. They’re asking anyone who was driving in the area at the time to contact them.