Glenn Hovey: Beloved Frenchs Forest dad donates organs after deadly mountain bike fall
Glenn Hovey was passionate about mountain biking and being a registered organ donor. The northern beaches’ dad has now given the ultimate gift after a tragic fall.
Manly
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Glenn Hovey is being remembered as a loving husband and devoted father of three young children — his legacy will live on after he donated his organs following a tragic cycling accident.
The 48-year-old from Frenchs Forest, who had a passion for mountain biking, died four days after suffering a massive spinal cord injury in a fall on a track he had ridden hundreds of times.
Mr Hovey, a well known senior Sydney IT executive, was riding alone on one of the trails around Manly Dam when he came off his bike around 10.30am on November 3.
The popular figure in local mountain bike circles had been negotiating a series of “rock rolls” on the 19th Hole Trail, just off Cootamundra Dr at Allambie Heights.
Although he was wearing a helmet and protective gear, Mr Hovey broke vertebrae high up in his neck, damaging his spinal cord and affecting his ability to breath.
He went into cardiac arrest.
Deian Cousins, a close friend and riding buddy of Mr Hovey’s, was told by authorities that two young men out for a ride, spotted him lying motionless at the bottom of the rocks.
Mr Cousins said the pair, in their late teens, rushed to the stricken rider, but they could not get a response from him. They tried to find a pulse before dialling for an ambulance.
The operator advised them how to administer CPR and they began trying to bring him back to life. They were soon joined by two more, older riders, and the four took turns doing chest compressions for between 15 and 20 minutes before the first ambulance paramedics arrived.
Along with a doctor from the CareFlight Rescue helicopter, the paramedics placed Mr Hovey on a machine to help him breathe, placed him on a spinal board and carried him out of the bush before he was driven to Royal North Shore Hospital and placed on life support.
His wife Cheryl told the Manly Daily on Thursday that her husband died early on Monday morning, November 7.
Ms Hovey said he had been on the list of registered organ donors for many years.
“It’s such a tragic accident,” she said. “Everyone in the family and the community is just shocked.
Mr Hovey, who was born in Mt Isa in Queensland and moved, with the family to the northern beaches in 2010, had three children, Emily, 14, Claire 13, and seven year old Tom.
“As a family, we want to thank the people who stopped to help Glenn and the emergency services who kept him alive,” Ms Hovey said.
“If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to say goodbye to Glenn.”
Ms Hovey said that as a registered organ donor, her husband had spoken with the family and was adamant that should anything happen to him, he would like to help others.
All his major organs, except his liver, have had recipients.
“That is the kind of person Glenn was.
“He was a wonderful human being, kind, generous, a friend to everyone.
“This has left a hole in many people’s lives, not just the family’s.”
Ms Hovey said Emily also had a passion for mountain biking, like her dad’s and recently competed in an inter-school competition for St Luke’s Grammar at Dee Why.
“Glenn was just so proud of her.”
A special online fund has been set up to help support the Hovey family. .
If you can help, click here.
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