Near-Death Experience Leads Former Street Racer To Brighter Path

A street racer nearly killed in a crash on a rural road in 2022 is sharing his regrets and his advice for those considering street racing. 

“I should be dead right now,” Hurley said. “We were two dumb kids doing something dumb. That’s exactly what happened.”

20-year-old Michael Hurley was street racing on a stretch of road in Newcastle when he was nearly killed. It happened August 2, 2022.

“I wish I could go back the entire night, because I would change everything about it,” Hurley said.

That night he came to North Portland Avenue to test his new race car. He let someone else behind the wheel. 

“The police officer said he believes we were going well over 100 [miles per hour],” Hurley said. “I think he probably just lost control.”

Hurley spent 55 days in the hospital and had 16 months of recovery.

“I had a traumatic brain injury, fractured my neck, fractured my back, broke some ribs, had internal bleeding, had six blood transfusions, broke my pelvis in six spots, broke my femur and then broke my ankle,” Hurley said.

The accident had unseen impacts as well.

“There was months at a time and there are still months randomly that I would think about hurting myself,” Hurley said. “I don’t have the memory I used to have.”

The driver walked away from the crash unharmed.

“When I think back about it, I always wonder why I did it,” Hurley said. “There are speed limits for a reason that need to be followed. If you’re going to do racing, you want to do it on a racetrack.” 

Hurley now sees the crash as a saving grace from a dangerous path.

“I think I was saved for a bigger purpose,” Hurley said. “I was told I would never walk or talk again and now I feel like I’m trying to do bigger things in this world.”

He has bigger things on his new path, leaving the old in the rear view.

“Just never give up,” Hurley said.