Comments on: A Beautiful Mind

By: Judy McCarthy

Judy McCarthy — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 16:58:14 +0000

Emma, what a wonderful idea. I am not a Middlebury student or alum., but I have been where you were. My skull fracture and cerebellar contusion occured due to a fall from a horse. No helmet; I’m not sure that it would have made a difference. If you are interested in hearing about some of the long term effects feel free to contact me. Best wishes and congratulations on focusing on a significant medical issue that seems to be thought of as a minor issue until you actually confront the true problems.

By: Emma Kitchen

Emma Kitchen — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 19:58:21 +0000

Thank you so much for all the support. Concussions Speak just got our Facebook and Twitter pages up for the summer before we launch the site. Check it out and please spread the word! http://www.facebook.com/ConcussionsSpeak

By: John S. Allen '68

John S. Allen '68 — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 17:09:42 +0000

The story “A Beautiful Mind” tells of student Emma Kitchen and a friend riding bicycle up a hill on campus: “in the dark, they did not see the flash of a figure racing down the hill on his own bicycle heading directly toward them. And he didn’t see them either.”

The collision left Ms. Kitchen with a fractured skull and traumatic brain injury. The other bicyclist presumably was also a Middlebury student.

Also not mentioned is the obvious: that the bicycles were not equipped with headlights. Is that to be considered so ordinary and normal as not even to be worthy of mention?

Lights are required by law, though enforcement is lax. An educational institution has additional abilities to

inform students, set rules and enforce them. The College’s Web site advises students to use lights and indicates that the law requires them, but does not mention any College policy compelling their use. The college’s Web page offers generally good but rather sketchy advice on other issues related to safe bicycling.

Such tragedies as occurred to Ms. Kitchen are preventable. The benefits to students and to community morale of preventing them are clear enough. The benefits to the College of more students who finish, and of decades of potential alumni contributions from them, clearly outweigh the cost.

John S. Allen ’68

Technical Writer/Editor, http://sheldonbrown.com
Author, Bicycling Street Smarts, http://bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/

League of American Bicyclists Cycling Instructor #77-C
Member, National Committee for Uniform Traffic Control Devices Bicycle Technical Committee.

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By: Heather Fawcett

Heather Fawcett — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 18:28:21 +0000

Very well done Emma, just a glimpse of what is yet to come, your future so bright ,this is a terrific idea , keep up the good work.

By: Anne McDonough

Anne McDonough — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 18:11:08 +0000

I have know Emma most of her life. She has always been a person with a tenacious spirit, a thirst for knowledge and on a constant quest to change whats wrong and make it right. I am not surprised at all that this incredible young woman has taken a life altering experience and will use it to help others. I always knew Emma would make a difference!
Congrqats Big E!!