An avid Villages cyclist who was hit by a vehicle on U.S. Hwy. 27/441 last week is home from the hospital and recovering from his injuries.
Steve Waterhouse was struck by a car last Tuesday morning as he was crossing the highway at Grays Airport Road across from Phillips Buick GMC. He was airlifted to Ocala Regional Medical Center, where he received treatment for three broken ribs, scrapes and bruises.
According to Waterhouse’s wife, Gina, he was released from the hospital on Thursday and is resting comfortably at their Village of Pine Ridge home. She reported on her Facebook page that’s he’s sore but is taking medications and is able to sit up in a chair in their living room.
Waterhouse, who owns his own sales consulting firm, was crossing U.S. Hwy. 27/441 while on a training ride for the upcoming National Senior Games in Albuquerque, N.M. He was riding a Specialized S-Works Tarmac, which is the same bike Peter Sagan rode in the Tour de France.
Waterhouse reported on his Facebook page on Sunday morning that the bike’s frame appears to be undamaged but the fork was broken and the front wheel destroyed.
The crash this past Tuesday at 11:22 a.m. snarled traffic as the northbound lanes of the highway were shut down and vehicles were detoured onto Grays Airport Road. Fruitland Park Police officers conducted a thorough accident investigation and could be seen taking measurements while Waterhouse’s damaged bike was on its side in the median and an older-model four-door sedan was parked in the roadway.
Waterhouse is an avid cyclist who moved to The Villages in Fruitland Park in April 2017. Originally from Silver Creek, N.Y., he also has lived in Scarborough, Maine, and is the owner, president and CEO of the Waterhouse Group, a company that promises to help companies increase sales through “consulting, customized training and motivational speaking.”
Waterhouse lists Countrywide Home Loan, the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Fidelity Investments, Lucent Technologies, Monsanto, Prentice-Hall Publishing, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Sun Microsystems, Target, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Small Business Administration, United Airlines and Xerox Corporation among his clients.
Waterhouse also is the author of a book titled “The Team Selling Solution: Creating and Managing Teams That Win the Complex Sale.” It was published in August 2003 and is a tutorial that explains how to build, organize, lead and contribute to a sales team.
A former electrical engineer at Raytheon and Syracuse University graduate, Waterhouse also serves as a board member on the Alzheimer’s Association of Central/North Florida and as an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Association’s Florida Gulf Coast Chapter.
He and wife Gina, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, recently met with Congressman Daniel Webster to talk about legislation he had supported to make strides in the fight against the disease. During that meeting, Webster, whose mother suffered from Alzheimer’s the last two years of her life, and the Waterhouses shared personal experiences about the disease.
On May 13, the couple followed up on their visit with Webster by posting a video on Steve’s Facebook page asking the congressman to support the Improving Hope for Alzheimer’s Act. Also known as HR 1873, the act would require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to educate clinicians in Alzheimer’s and dementia care. You can view that video by clicking HERE.
Waterhouse’s Facebook page paints a clear picture of man who truly loves cycling. Over the years, he’s posted hundreds of photos of different competitions he’s competed in. And it’s clear through the photos that’s he won his fair of competitions.
Waterhouse, who races in USA Cycling’s Masters Class, also is a huge fan of Mazda Miatas. His Facebook page contains photos of the couple participating in events with The Villages Miata MX-5 Club. And some photos show their Miata with Steve’s bike strapped to the roof of the sports car.
After the accident, both Steve and Gina offered thanks for the prayers and support they have received.
“We are so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends!” Gina wrote on her Facebook page. “I am so thankful for the support we have received and that the outcome of the accident was not worse.”
Steve said it’s hard to express his feelings regarding the prayers, well-wishes, calls and visits he has received.
“You people are amazing!” he wrote. “So many asked what they could do to help. Well, you did it and it helped me stay positive through a tough week. Many thanks.”
