Burton Cummings is currently recovering in Los Angeles after being involved in a serious car crash.
Cummings, former lead singer of the Guess Who, wrote that his car was hit on Sunday, May 13 but a car driven by a man who ran a red light. A source at Nehora Law Firm reported that Cummings car was totaled and his head hit the windshield, giving him a concussion. Burton also suffered cuts, bruises and a sore leg and back.
In his note to fans, he also recounts the story of how he got out of jury duty just before the crash with the judge dismissing him because Winnipeg is still in NHL playoffs and Cummings had the opportunity to sing at one of the games.
Burton also says that he is pretty much done with social media due to the poisonous atmosphere that is currently part of the environment.
Here’s Cummings’ note:
Currently recovering and healing from a very bad auto accident which happened on Sunday, Mother’s Day, about 5:40 pm. I was summoned to Los Angeles for jury duty beginning the week of May 7th and reported later that week. Due to the Winnipeg Jets’ playoff status right now, the judge was kind enough to dismiss me from a trial for which I had already been OFFICIALLY SELECTED as a juror a few days before the accident. It is a medical malpractice trial which will go on probably until basically the end of May. While I was still hoping to make it to Winnipeg to sing the anthems at a later game if they asked, I explained my situation to the judge and the very day the trial was beginning, he was kind enough to dismiss me…on one condition…that I sing the Star Spangled Banner right there in the courtroom in front of his honour, the jurors, the lawyers, and both the plaintiff and the defendant. Having had a malpractice nightmare personally some years ago with my throat situation, I didn’t feel proper to be participating in a medical malpractice trial, but that alone did not dismiss me. The judge basically did me a huge favour. Sunday afternoon, I was on my way to Fry’s Electronics on Canoga and I was hit by a guy who ran right through a red light. My car is totalled. I suffered a concussion as my head cracked my front windshield. Yes, I was wearing my seatbelt. I have cuts and serious bruising on both arms, and my left leg is very painful. Also, intense back pain. I need some serious healing time and won’t be able to fly right away. Now, unless the jets continue on for a while and they ask me to, I might not be able to make it to Winnipeg to sing the anthems and cheer the Jets onward. I’ve followed their rise to the semi finals with great joy and pride. This accident has come at an extremely bad time for me…for more than just one reason.
With my current pain and aftershock nervousness I’m in no condition to deal with all the venom here on line. It would be crushing at the best of times, but right now, in the condition in which I find myself, it’s just impossible to deal with. I’m through with social media for the most part. After a while it becomes a pissing contest, a race for the inside track, and basically it’s all disgusting. For years I truly enjoyed the “late night ramblings” and communicating with followers all over the world. I enjoyed the 3D photo library, telling the stories of the early days, the “biology classes” concerning some of Earth’s strangest creatures, the poetry postings and all the rest of it…now, in May of 2018, the joy has been painfully extracted from all of that…it only takes a few poison people to ruin things for a lot of nice folks…and that’s precisely what has happened.
Some people have their own idea of what my personal life should be, and in their convoluted agendas, I’m all wrong in the way I’m living.
All of this is not even worth dwelling on for too long…the responsible people are not worth my keystrokes…they know who they are personally, one by one, and for the most part, many of the so-called “faithful” (should) know who they are…
I’m in a lot of physical pain today. I’m trying to focus on just how lucky I am not to have been killed or crippled. My hands and throat are basically okay, although I would be in no condition to do a show right now. No glass hit my eyes, but the concussion was quite serious. My head is quite swollen, as is my left elbow…both arms have many cuts and bruises…
I’m thankful to the Gods and the Universe that this idiot hit me where he did, and I’m also incredibly grateful that I had decided not to take 2 and Mickey out with me for a car ride…The worst thing these last two nights has been that my mind has been “reliving the crash”…that sound and fear and unexpected horror…I was unconscious for a few seconds before I came to and was fortunately able to get out of the car myself. It’s totaled…it looks like a piece of crumpled up foolscap that you would toss into the garbage. I’ve always been extremely wary of shrinks and therapists, but now, at 70, after this accident, I know I might have to get some help getting over the shock…that’s the worst part right now…trying to keep telling myself that I’m okay…my mind keeps reliving the awful crash…the terror and the sound.
I won’t be around here much anymore for obvious reasons that are largely self explanatory. Any good thoughts of healing and peace that could be sent my way right now would be infinitely appreciated.
As for everything else, as the old cliche says
“it is what it is”…Peace and calm,
Burton Cummings
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