Steve Day, fiddler and vocalist with David Parmley & Cardinal Tradition, suffered a back injury in a single car accident near his home in Kentucky last Thursday, January 5. This was before the snowfall that paralyzed much of the eastern US, and resulted from Steve losing consciousness while driving out to check on his cattle before heading out for shows with the band.
According to his wife, Diane, Steve had been suffering from a bad stomach bug, and began to feel faint while driving. He remembers trying to pull the truck to the side of the road, but he apparently passed out, and when he came to he had crossed the median and into traffic. Fortunately, he did not strike any oncoming vehicles, but did hit the embankment on the other side of the road. He found himself in the passenger seat, turned around with his back against the dashboard.
Other drivers stopped to help Steve out of the truck, and called EMS. All four air bags had deployed, and the emergency techs transported him to Greenview Hospital in Bowling Green. Tests there showed a compression fracture in his lower back (L1), and he underwent surgery on Friday where doctors injected spinal cement into the fracture. Diane says that this relieved most of his back pain right away, though he remains sore and tired.
Steve is recuperating now at home, but will require several weeks of rest before he can get out and do much of anything. He is shooting for attending the SPBGMA convention in Nashville the first weekend in February, but isn’t sure yet whether he’ll be able to play.
Diane says that prayers for a speedy recovery are most welcome, and that friends and fans can leave get well messages on their Facebook page.
We’ll add our wishes right here… Get well soon, Steve Day!
