On July 26, motorcycle riders gathered in remembrance of U.S. Marine Corps veteran John Tobias Jr., who had been killed in an alleged hit-and-run incident. However, at the memorial motorcycle ride, there was nearly another fatality, if not for the actions of a Fort Bliss soldier.
During the event, the saddlebag of the lead motorcycle came loose and created a road hazard, which led to a rider named Ryan Salisbury crashing and receiving serious head wounds.
"I pulled over and immediately started to assess the motorcyclist who had fallen and was currently in a puddle of his own blood," explained Cpl. Maximilian J. Weaver, who served as a public affairs mass communication specialist with the 5th Armored Brigade. Weaver had completed Fort Bliss' motorcycle safety course as well as the Army's combat lifesaver course.
"He was losing a lot of blood from his head, so I used clothing to create padding and apply pressure to the wound. He started choking on his blood and convulsing, so I turned him to his uninjured side so that he could breathe and not choke," Weaver said in an Army press release. "[I] kept the scorching ground cool by pouring water on it and helped stabilize him when he appeared to be having a seizure until medical personnel arrived approximately 15 minutes later."
Weaver is credited by his fellow riders and Fort Bliss as having rendered invaluable life-saving aid to Salisbury. "You never know when you have to use the tools provided to you by the U.S. Army in the real world, but I’m glad the knowledge kicked into gear when needed," Weaver said.