100+ motorcycles roll to help injured deputy

DURHAM (WTVD) -- June 17, 2017 is the day when Sgt. Brian Devore's world turned upside down.

The veteran Granville County sheriff's deputy had a devastating accident on his motorcycle, a wreck that's cost him some mobility while he recuperates at an Atlanta rehab facility. Reached there by phone Saturday, he told us "I was on my way home on my motorcycle and just lost control. I was running below the speed limit, just looked away for a second."

"He hadn't had the bike long," said his friend Craig Fields, an EMT worker, "maybe about a month before the accident occurred."

"He had made the second payment of the bike, yeah. Brand new, 2017," added the deputy's sister, Teresa Jenkins.

Devore told us he hopes to be back home from the rehab center by the end of August. He also credits his wife as his rock, the person most responsible for his ability to be positive after the accident.

"I was pretty shocked. I was devastated," said Fields. "Like I said--they are really great people."

Considered so great that more than 150 bikes showed their support for the injured officer by showing up at Durham's Raging Bull Harley D for an 80-mile ride in his honor. It's also a fundraiser, to help the family with bills associated with his recovery like retrofitting their home to accommodate his current challenges.

"I'm still real sore," he told us,"but hope to come home by August. Still got some back pain but other than that, I'm moving along!"

His motorcycling friends made sure he could see their action on his behalf Saturday, by posting Facebook Live video for him to watch in Atlanta. Before seeing that, and asked how he felt about the bikes who have his back, he had one word to describe his emotions as his wife sits by his side:

"Overwhelmed. I didn't know I had so many supporters, actually," said Devore.

There are more fundraisers planned as the family prepares to retrofit his home, including a scheduled "Bingo for Brian" on August 19th at the Stem Fire Department and a September 16th car show in Creedmoor that organizer Tommy Keith hopes will bring in about $20,000 for the Devores. His daughter spoke for many when she looked into our camera and declared: "Daddy, I love you. I miss you. Stay strong. You got it!"