A motorcyclist who wound up with punctured lungs and broken bones after a deadly crash recorded a 'goodbye message' for his loved ones because he thought he wouldn't be saved in time.
Kevin Diepenbrock had to wait 30 hours for help after his motorbike crashed on Route 129 on the Tennessee-North Carolina border.
He and his friend Phillip Polito had been riding along the curvy road - known as 'The Dragon' - in October 2016 when they both veered off the road, and fell down a steep hill.
It all went down after Polito suddenly hit his break, causing Diepenbrock to crash into him.
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Tragically, Kevin's friend was killed in the crash, after landing 50 feet down the steep hill.
Somehow, despite falling a horrific 105 feet, Kevin miraculously survived.
Left all alone, Kevin tried to call out for help, dial 911, and send texts, but nothing got through.
Without much hope left, he took out his phone to record a goodbye video for his friends and family, assuming he would probably never see them again.
"I f***ed up, that's all I can really say," he says in the video.
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"At about 10:30 this morning. Been laying here ever since. About 50 feet down in the ravine. I just wanted to say I love you guys.
"Sorry I was being stupid, but you know that's what I do. See you guys soon."
In another recording, filmed later in the day, Kevin is clearly struggling to speak as he tells his family, 'I love you'.
By some unbelievable stroke of luck, Kevin eventually managed to catch someone's attention, when his cries for help were heard by people passing on the road above.
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It was approximately 27 hours after his crash that Blount County authorities were able to launch their rescue mission.
"It’s a miracle that somebody even heard him there," said Blount County Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Jerry Phillips. "It's really amazing."
All in all, Kevin walked away with 12 broken ribs, hairline fractures on his spine, two punctured lungs, and a few bruises.
Speaking to WATE, Kevin's wife Courtney Diepenbrock commented: "It’s just a lot to go through, but forever thankful we are where we are."
While recovering, Kevin sent out a message to anyone who had heard his story.
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"Never forget to tell people you love them," he said.
"That’s all I could think about when I was down there. I never, you never say that enough.
"You never spend enough time with your family, you parents, enough time with people that are close to you."
Topics: US News
Ali Condon