That's all it takes to

dramatically

ta-

change

a life.

e cond

JENNIFER FINER

STAFF WRITER

30

rthur Liss was determined to remain alert. He knew
losing consciousness might lead to irreversible brain
damage.
The West Bloomfield attorney had just been thrown
off a motor bike and suffered severe head lacera-
tions. He was on the ground, bleed-
ing profusely.
"Right after it happened, I re-
member thinking, 'Will I live?"
Mr. Liss said. "I never even an-
ticipated what I was doing was
a dangerous act."
Mr. 1. Ass is one of a number of Detroiters who un-
derstand how one moment can change everything.
Within a matter of seconds, these men and women
were inches away from death. As a result, their lives
forever changed.
Earlier this summer Mr. Liss was celebrating his
49th birthday. He and his wife, Beverly, were on a
cruise in the Greek Islands.
He spent his birthday, July 12, on Mykonos,
where the Lisses and another couple rented motor
bikes for a five-mile drive to the beach. When it was time to return
to the ship, the two women decided to take a taxi back while the men
rode the motor bikes.
"The ride was very uneventful," said Mr. Liss, a former motor-

cycle owner. "We rode at low speeds because that's all the bike was
capable of doing."
An uneventful ride became life threatening when a motorcycle
hit Mr. Liss. His wife, who saw the crash from the taxi, didn't know
if he was alive. Immediately she was at his side.
The accident caused no permanent damage. A
PHOTO BY GLENN TRIEST
horseshoe-shaped mark on Mr. Liss' forehead is the
only visible reminder. His hair covers the other scars,
left by more than 200 stitches.
"People are vulnerable to having their life change
in an instant," he said. 'This is a perfect instance of
a circumstance that could have killed me. I could
have left my wife a widow and my children father-
less.
Marcy Feldman
"I am also aware that I could have
takes the
had other injuries, like brain dam-
long road
age. rm normal, except for the scars,
to recovery.
and I'm very grateful.
"Spiritually, maybe it reminded
me of what was already there but dormant," he said.
"I thank God for my life and for not having brain
damage, and I'm thankful the doctor knew what he
was doing."
Today, what Mr. Liss used to take for granted, like hugging his
children, is more meaningful.
Mr. Liss will soon attend a special service at Adat Shalom Syna-