Tour de Life: From Coma to Competition

by Saul Raisin, Dave Shields

The story of a young bicycle racer who survived a horrifying crash in France in 2006, this true account is inspirational for cycling fans, those who have coped with brain and spinal cord injuries, and anyone who is uplifted by the heroic efforts of a come-back kid. Already a seasoned veteran of adversity, Saul Raisin struggled in his teens with severe kyphosis—exaggerated outward curvature of the spine—and went on to fight his way to the elite levels of professional cycling. After his 2006 accident, no one thought he would live, let alone race again. Detailing the course of his recovery, Saul focuses on his parents' frantic navigation of the French health-care system, the frightening challenges that confront the families of patients with brain injuries, and his own journey back from pain and despair.

Genres: Sports, Cycling

278 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2007

Reviews

[Lisa Rising · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saul's story is home for me as my fiance is currently recovering from a traumatic brain injury. This book gave me hope and helped confirm that others go through the same phases of recovery. Love, bravery, determination and sheer will are powerful forces. Be thankful for what you have and never label anyone beyond hope!

[Gil Bradshaw · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is good generally if your a cyclist and have an interest in people with head injuries. Or you know or follow Saul Raisin.

If you're me, then you pretty much read everything about cycling I can get my hands on. I am interested in head trauma because a kid on my football team, Brad Bohrer, obtained a head injury similar to Saul Raisin's (well, worse actually) and has really affected me.

So for me, reading this book was truly meaningful because of my interest in Brad Bohrer's injury. It was really awesome to learn about head injury and I felt like there was quite a bit of substantive information contained within the book.

Finally, I like Saul Raisin And Credit Agricole. So that part was interesting.

Was the book well-written? Nope. Was it Dave Sheilds fault? Nope. Pretty much it is obvious that the Raisins would have been extremely stubborn to work with and so Shields probably had a hell of a time trying to make the book good.

And I'm going to say this: the Raisins were idiots to take Saul away from his French doctors. In fact, I bet that the recent announcement by Credit Agricole that Saul won't be racing for them has to do with the doctors being pissed that they were denied the opportunity to rehabilitate a high profile cyclist like Saul Raisin. There, its off my chest.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading about catastrophic accidents isn't easy. As a former healthcare professional, I saw many young people with brain injuries of varying degrees, their family and friends devastated from the situation. I watched some die, be taken off life support for organ donation, and some struggle to regain their former life. It wasn't easy then and reliving those kinds of events through this book wasn't easy either. Sadly, I also had a friend who survived a bike accident and sustained severe brain trauma. I watched and waited with her other friends and family while she lay in a coma and then gradually "came back", but she struggled, as did Saul and his parents. This though isn't just a story about grit and determination, it is a story of great love within a family...and for me, great love the medical professionals demonstrate with their patients. I recall one such young man, a swimmer, I read him swimming news from the sports section. Today he has a family and a profession.
Saul is frank and truthful with no sugar-coating of his issues after his fall. So this book could have been written as a tragedy, but because Saul decided that would not be the case, it is a book of triumph. Go Saul!

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Saul Raisin's story is truly inspiring. (I'm a sucker for the amazing-athlete-comes-back-from-a-trauma/illness story.) Saul wrote this with Dave Shields. Dave wrote the first half, about the accident and Saul's stay in hospitals in France and the States. It's my opinion that he should have written the whole book. I had a really hard time getting through the second half, which Saul wrote.

I was impressed by the story and amazed that he could recover so fully from such a trauma. I'm glad I read it.

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

Raisin Hell! This is the incredible story of Saul Raisin who lapsed into a coma after a horrific crash in a bike race in 2006. Everyone who followed this story from the beginning assumed that even in the best case scenario Saul would never race again, and in the worst case he would die. As told to Dave Shields, one of the best bike-racing authors out there.

I would recommend this for fans only.

[Gene · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tough book to read, for me, since I had a similar accident; hit by a car instead of racing. I had many of the same injuries & my wife & sister went through much of what Saul's parents did. I feel It helped me understand a lot of what I went through even though I don't remember big chunks of time. It has also put into perspective my wife's sacrifice & pain. I'm riding again but not on the road. This book has inspired me to work even harder to get better.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I live within an hour from Saul's hometown and have met him a couple times at cycling events. His story is tragic, and from what I understand, there needs to be an epilogue to the book to note that as of 2007, he' not been allowed to race as a pro and may not ever.

[Millicent Flake · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was actually surprised by how moving, insightful, and funny this book was, especially the second part in which Saul shares the trials and victories of his rehab at Shepherds and adjusting to life again. I feel like I understand a little bit of what someone going through this feels like.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

VERY inspiring...to even the humblest of cyclists such as myself.

[Lorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

great story and inspiration!