How a Cyclist Pardoned a Drunk Driver Who Mowed Him Down in a Hit and Run Case
Radical compassion helped the young cyclist to heal and recover
Forgiveness is a demanding virtue to embrace and practice. It’s a challenge to forgive a wrongdoer even for minor transgressions and more so when the perpetrator mows you down and runs away, leaving you to die.
Please read this story about a young man’s radical act of compassion and healing through forgiveness.
Jean-Pierre De Villiers (JP) is a coach, speaker and author. His mission is to impact people’s lives in meaningful ways.
He left South Africa when he was 20 and headed to the UK, where he became well-known as a life coach and author.
JP toured 17 countries and wrote six books. Yet, he felt uneasy about the furious pace of his life. He wanted to slow down.
The more spiritual you become, the more the Universe tests you.
In JP’s case, the slowing down he pined for came most painfully and dramatically.
Life-altering change
In 2019, JP and his partner went on a cycling challenge to complete 1000 miles in 10 days to raise money for a brain cancer charity.
On day 8, JP changed the route, and before he reached the finish line, a drunk driver mowed him down and sped away, leaving him bleeding on the roadside. The accident happened near Ilfracombe in Devon.
Recollecting the accident later, JP said,
“So, I was literally put on my back. And now I was forced to slow down.I had this accident, where somehow I have no memory of it. It’s almost like God said, I’m going to give you this life-changing experience. But don’t worry, you’re not going to remember it.”
It seemed the Universe had choreographed every detail because immediately after the accident, a paramedic and a police officer reached the spot and airlifted JP to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.
JP spent about ten days in the intensive care unit. He could not recollect anything about the accident. The doctor told him his survival was a miracle.
JP had faced adversity before. When he was a child, he faced severe bullying at school. He knew how to be resilient without playing the victim.
After two weeks, JP was transferred to another hospital, where he began the long journey to recover his health. He was confident in negotiating the challenging days ahead. He said later to The Epoch Times:
“I knew that I had the skills to cope with this adversity. And, I felt excited about what I was going to do next. And, even before I left intensive care, I lay in my bed and said, ‘my recovery will not be about me. My recovery will be about everyone that I can share the story with.”
The long road to recovery
As he started his recovery and rehabilitation, JP surrounded himself with people who loved him and cared for him. Instead of ruminating about the accident, he looked forward to healing and restarting his mission to help people.
His recovery was slow and painful. He celebrated every milestone, like being able to lift his hand. He rejoiced over the good days and coped with the bad days stoically.
Forgiving the offender
JP took the momentous decision to forgive the drunk motorist who mowed him down. He believed that blaming others made us feel powerless.
He attended the court to witness the sentencing of the motorist. When he saw that the motorist was an older man, he felt pity for him:
“When I saw him, I felt nothing but love and I felt sorry for him; I felt empathy. I didn’t want an old man who clearly had a drinking problem and a life problem to go to jail.”
In a statement, JP openly forgave the driver and told him:
“I need you to know that I have no ill feelings toward you. I don’t feel negatively toward you. I love you.”
The defendant stepped out of the box and put his hand to his heart. The scene was so extraordinary it stunned those present in the courtroom. Both the offender and the victim had a free and meaningful conversation. The victim’s forgiveness elicited the wrongdoer’s deep remorse. The defendant’s lawyer said he had never seen anything like this in his 25 years of practice.
Closing thoughts
It took two years for JP to recover from his accident fully. He went back to the accident site and completed the unfinished leg of his cycling challenge.
The accident transformed JP. He began to view life through fresh eyes. He felt his life had acquired a new meaning and purpose.
He said, “I’m going to live fully, without any fear.”
JP healed himself through radical compassion and extraordinary forgiveness. His experience sends out a loud and clear message that a deep commitment to one’s core values can help us weather any storm that life may unleash on us.
JP was not merely resilient; in author Nassim Taleb’s words, “anti-fragile.” He not only bounced back from adversity; he emerged more robust and more committed to pursuing his life’s mission of helping others.
Thanks for reading this story.
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