BRIGHAM CITY -- His neighbors call Wayne Rennemeyer "the miracle man."
Members of his congregation might even tell you they witnessed a miracle on Palm Sunday when he walked into the chapel just as they finished singing a verse about Jesus and his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
And fellow members of the Christian Motorcycle Association celebrated that miracle Saturday with Rennemeyer and his family during the CMA's annual Run for the Son.
Every year, the organization sponsors a ride to raise funds for the group's ministries around the world.
But they couldn't do it without Rennemeyer, so Saturday afternoon, 26 bikers rumbled into the otherwise quiet cul-de-sac where the Rennemeyers live.
"It gets us out on our bikes, but we are out there to spread the word of God to those in need," Rennemeyer said Saturday. "If it wasn't for God and the thousands of prayers said for me, I wouldn't be in the condition I am in."
Rennemeyer got up early the morning of Feb. 23 and headed to work at ATK in Promontory, just as he had done every working day for 34 years.
But two hours later, he was being resuscitated at University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City because he almost didn't survive a head-on collision and the subsequent medical flight.
He spent 16 days in intensive care, where doctors treated his injuries: a compound break to his femur, a fracture in his spine, 11 broken ribs, a broken sternum and myriad internal injuries.
Doctors later told his wife, Verlaine, that the bones in his face were so badly broken that they were merely "floating."
Not only was there bleeding in the brain, but there were also tears in the microscopic connectors inside his brain.
Two of their four sons flew in from Texas the night of the accident, but one son in Chicago was unable to come for a few more days. So Wayne's son John started a blog to share information about his father as it became available, with updates every few hours.
As the updates went out into the world, the prayers started pouring in -- from friends, from neighbors, co-workers, family all across the country, and from as far away as Haiti and Nova Scotia.
On Day 17, with the expectation that Rennemeyer would be severely disabled, doctors planned to move him to a long-term acute-care facility where he could continue healing.
But at 8 p.m. the night before he was to be transferred, Dr. Elie P. Elovic, internationally known for his work and research on traumatic brain injury, heard about Rennemeyer.
After an examination, Elovic told the family "he is still very much in there."
Within hours, Rennemeyer's treatment took a whole different course.
He was put on a new regimen of medications and transferred to Promise Hospital, where he was weaned off the ventilator. Then he was back at the U of U for weeks of grueling in-patient rehab.
Verlaine was at the hospital with him every day.
"The two times that I went home were awful because I was so anxious to be (at the hospital)," she said.
On April 14, the day before Rennemeyer was discharged from the hospital to come home, his daughter Julie wrote on the blog:
"Dad will be officially discharged from the hospital. ... He is so excited to go home and lay on his couch, take a nap when he wants, and most of all, be able to cuddle up with Mom. As I sit here thinking about this wonderful event, I can't help but get emotional."
Rennemeyer has been home for a few weeks, and his medical journey is ongoing. But he continues to have support from all sides -- including the Christian Motorcycle Association, a national, service-oriented bikers group that works to teach others about the love of Christ and the power in caring about other people.
Rennemeyer and Verlaine have been active members of the CMA since 2002, and he is a past president of the Logan chapter.
Tears were shed during a prayer circle, and there were lots of hugs and laughter, but the highlight Saturday afternoon was when Scott Boyer, of Petersboro, helped Wayne onto his Harley and took him for a ride around the block, with Wayne giving the thumbs-up as he rode.
Wayne will not be returning to work at ATK. He will continue physical therapy and still has some medical issues doctors will continue to monitor.
Verlaine, who was able to take family leave, will return to her job as a pharmacy technician in just over a week.
"We don't know what the future holds for us," she said. "We're just taking it one day at a time."
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