Johnny Scharnweber of Inland Empire Association Severely Injured in Motorcycle Accident :::::::::::: California Broker :::::::::::::::::
Johnny Scharnweber, past president of Inland Empire Association of Health Underwriters, is struggling to recover from a devastating accident that occurred while he was in a motorcycle race in January, leaving him paralyzed.
His sister, Karalynn Sprouse, has launched a fundraising campaign to allow his friends from the worlds of both insurance and endurocross to contribute toward his ongoing care. Sprouse commented on his resiliency, noting he survived a kidney transplant more than 20 years ago. She also cited his business success at Ringo Financial and Insurance Solutions, paying tribute to him as a leader in his industry and noting he lobbied on Capitol Hill for the interest of both insurance professionals and motorcycle riders.
The accident was Jan. 22, when he was riding in the National Hare and Hound Race in Lucerne Valley, California, amid the muddy conditions of the recent storms. “Due to the extreme conditions, things did not go as planned in the race and Johnny had a dramatic crash leaving him with several broken vertabrae in his neck and a severely swollen and bruised spine,” Sprouse wrote on her fundraising site. “Currently Johnny has no feeling from his chest down and has little movement in his toes and right arm. Although he has had surgeries and has been admitted to a nationally known acute rehab facility, his prognosis is unknown. We know that Johnny is a warrior and will fight to not only walk but to race and teach again.”
Although insurance covers his rehab care, the fundraising is designed to finance stem cell treatment, which costs up to $50,000 per session and is not covered.
Online donations can be made here.
Checks and well-wishing cards can be addressed to the Inland Empire Health Underwriters Association, P.O. Box 11088, San Bernardino, CA 92423-11088.
