Rexburg father injured in dirt bike accident is home recovering. Here’s how you can help his family.

REXBURG — A local father has a long road of recovery ahead of him after recently breaking his back in a dirt bike accident.

Michael Bailey, 33, of Rexburg, has a passion for riding dirt bikes. His wife, Brittney, said he often goes riding after work, on the weekends or whenever he has time. Last Monday, he’d been riding with some friends in Rexburg but after they left, he decided he’d make two more laps before returning home.

“That’s when it (the accident) happened, when everyone left,” Brittney told EastIdahoNews.com. “He had so much adrenaline — he wrecked, then loaded the bike up himself and drove himself home.”

Brittney said Michael called her and said he needed help but it was hard for her to understand him because his lungs “hurt so bad” it was difficult to talk. Brittney ended up taking Michael to Madison Memorial Hospital but they were then sent to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center where Michael met with a neurosurgeon.

It was discovered that Michael had a burst fracture on two of his vertebrae. Brittney said a burst fracture is when, for example, a person falls and fractures a bone, but the splinters of bone go everywhere, “or burst and flies out.”

“They were worried those little shards of bone were going to be in his spinal cord and be paralyzed but luckily, there wasn’t any in there,” Brittney explained. “I was like, ‘You had someone watching over you.'”

Michael underwent surgery last Tuesday where screws and a rod were placed in his back. He got home from the hospital on Friday. Brittney said Michael, who’s been up and walking around, will need another surgery in about nine months to get the rod removed.

Michael and Brittney have two kids, ages two and four. Michael was working full-time at Rexburg Motor Sports before the accident and provided the main source of income for his family (Brittney works part-time as a dental hygienist). He will be out of work for a few months as he recovers.

On top of this, and prior to the accident, the couple was trying to save up for fertility treatments. Brittney had an appointment scheduled with a fertility clinic this Friday but had to cancel due to everything going on.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family with bills since Michael isn’t able to work right now and to help with the insurance deductible. To donate, click here.

“We appreciate it so much,” Brittney said about the GoFundMe donations. “It’s going to help take care of our two little kids and help Michael heal so he doesn’t have to worry about trying to get back to work so quick.”