Possum Bourne

[Xhiler8r]

Don't know if any of u guys are interested but i thought i would post this anyway.My deepest sympathy's to the Bourne family and best wishes.

His family said in a statemtn on Monday that the reigning Australian rally champion had been left severely brain damaged after a head-on collision with another driver on 18 April.

"The extent and severity of the injury was not fully apparent until the weekend just gone when ventilation support was decreased that Possum deteriorated and had to go back onto full support.

"Evaluation today including a brain scan confirms the original injury was very severe and continuing full support is no longer in Possum's best interests," the statement said.

The accident with another competitor's vehicle happened during a pre-race inspection for a hill climb competition near Queenstown.

It took race officials more than an hour to free the unconscious 47-year-old from his vehicle after the crash, while the driver of the other car suffered only minor leg injuries.

Bourne is New Zealand's only professional rally driver and in 20 years of racing has won the Asia-Pacific title three times and the Australian rally on nine occasions.

[Fox]

I did not know that - very sad news - he was a brillaint driver and from what I gather a REALLY nice bloke. This is not a good year for motorsports it seems ....

[OLD CAHN]

Very sad news indeed.
One of the best locals is now gone.
I was a big fan, even named my WRX "POSSUM".
My heartfelt condolences to the Bourne family.
2003 - It's been a very bad year indeed for motor-sport.
Lets hope that there is no more sadness this year.

[thor]

unfortunetly Possum passed away on weds mornin @ 5.30 ...30/04/03 N.Z time after been taken off life support..

He will b sadly missed as he was truly a champion....

In this part of the world he was our pincess dianna.living his life to the fullest.every day ...every hour.....

we mis u allready possum....

Thor
New Zealand

[jimakazi]

My brother an I both looked up to him as a hero / role model. There was a sense of pride that our Cousin could make such a sucess of doing what he loved, while remaining such a well grounded approachable guy. How many 48 year olds get an International WRC Team drive? It is an amazing feat.

My wife called me with the news while I was touring the South Island on my XX. I was able to visit Possum while he was in Hospital, at the time everone hoped for a miracle - he looke like he might just wake at any moment. The support he got from his team and family was fantistic.

I went to his funeral and it was a celerbration of his life - a "prize giving". I will remember forever the image his brave little son carrying Possums helmet in front of the coffin and the speech he gave for his dad "love you to infinity".

For me the song Clocks from Cold Play is now permanently associated with a video they played of Possum driving at his best. I brought the Album yesterday.

It concluded with Possum on the big screen saying, "Its the bad stuff that make you appreciate just how good the good stuff is".

[jimakazi]

What makes it worse are the comments of the other driver "I'm not to blame". Jeez Possum was as left as he could go [against the bank in the ditch!] and had 20 meters of brake marks [proving he was trying to stop] on a peice of road where 2 trucks can pass safely, after safely passing 10 other vehicles.

Maybe the peice of American crap otherwise known as a Jeep Cherokee is to blame, perhaps it went right instread of left coz you knows it's an American? - nothing to do with the blameless driver. What bullshit.