Christina Chiaravalloti/ViewJustin Kreger, a 21-year serious cyclist who was born deaf, tries out his new bike that was purchased with funds from fellow valley cyclists. Kreger was seriously injured when he was hit by a car six months ago.
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Justin Kreger is known among valley cyclists as the tough one.
He's ridden both hybrid and road bikes for 21 years, averaging 200 miles a week. The 43-year-old was born deaf, so he learned at a young age to keep an eye out for cars, pedestrians and obstacles on the road.
Kreger, who's lived in Spring Valley for 14 years, refers to his hours pedaling through the streets of Las Vegas and over the hills around the valley as "pure joy." It's been six months since he's experienced the adrenaline rush of the road -- ever since his bike and his body were shattered in a crash last spring.
On an April morning, Kreger was coasting in the bike lane toward an intersection when a car slammed into him. He was thrown from his bike, and when he smacked the pavement, he fractured his neck, back and face.
"I instantly passed out," he said through a sign language interpreter.
Kreger later found out that the driver was a teenager who had both drugs and alcohol in his system. Kreger sat in the hospital for weeks, strapped in a halo brace and then a neck brace. He took four months off from his job to recover. Kreger works as a sign language aide for a deaf and blind student at Las Vegas High School.
Cyclists around the valley heard about Kreger's crash and his courage that followed. They teamed with a few local businesses and the American Diabetes Association, an organization Kreger donates to every year, to raise enough cash to surprise Kreger with his dream bike -- a Specialized Tarmac road bike worth $2,200.
"Once we heard he got clobbered by the car, it was definitely a pretty rough time for cyclists who knew him," said Kirt Horack, manager of Las Vegas Cyclery, where Kreger is a longtime customer.
The bike shop at 8221 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 101, hosted a big sale last month to raise money for Kreger's bike. Land Rover Las Vegas matched the bike shop's funds and, combined with donations from Red Rock Running Company, Sunset Racing and Specialized Bicycles, presented Kreger with the bike Oct. 11, along with an indoor trainer bike, cycling videos, a helmet and other must-have bike accessories.
Kreger says he's not afraid to ride again.
"Cycling means a lot to me," he said. "To be honest with you, I don't know how to stop daily exercise. Since I was a kid, I've believed in good health."
Before the crash, Kreger referred to himself as a serious solo rider. He's since said he plans to ride in a group. He often lists bike safety tips to other cyclists: wear a helmet, follow traffic laws and stay in the bike lane.
"Cyclists out here in Vegas are kind of wearing a bull's-eye," Horack said of Kreger's crash. "It's really tricky to get around town, so we kind of have this mutual alliance. We know that it's a gamble every time we go out."
Contact Southeast and Southwest View reporter Danielle Nadler at dnadler@viewnews.com or 224-5524.
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