Updated July 13, 2026

While participating in a gravel bike race he’d won the year before, Steve crashed onto his face and head, and another cyclist landed on top of him.

“He had no skin on the right side of his face,” recalls his wife, Jamie.

Tingling and weakness in his hands and arms along with neck pain in his cervical spine led Steve to Memorial Neuroscience Institute. His MRI scan showed two bulging discs pinching the nerves in the cervical spine as well as his spinal cord.

Based on Steve's prognosis, the neurosurgeons performed a two-level cervical discectomy with spinal fusion. The surgery relieved the pressure on his spinal cord and allowed him to get back to what he loves.

“I’ve been cycling for over 30 years,” he explained. “Cycling is not only my career, it's my passion. Without the surgery, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now,” he concluded.

“He's back to racing. He's back to training the junior team. He's back to coaching. He's back to doing all that stuff he loves,” added Jamie.