It’s appalling that Michael Macedo would write an entire letter, based entirely on his own conclusions, completely void of facts and intellectual thought.
As a personal friend of Ryan West I can tell you that there was at least one witness, who stated that Ryan was in fact, not lying on the train tracks passed out, rather he was walking. As to Ryan’s lack of memory regarding the accident, it is a fact that human beings have an internal defense mechanism that protects us when faced with severe danger and physical trauma. I believe the doctors at Sierra Vista would concur that Ryan’s lack of memory regarding this incident is attributed directly to the trauma in which he has suffered.
We all know that the train tracks are used daily by pedestrians and cyclists as a convenience. Ryan West is not the only person who has been struck by this train. While it may be hard to believe, it is also a known fact that people struck by trains report that they neither heard nor saw the oncoming train.
Mr. Macedo suggests that no extra precautions should be taken, which merely continues to demonstrate his ignorance and single-mindedness.
Ryan is a member of the Cal Poly family; he is one of our own. We should be showing compassion, not condemning him. In conclusion, Michael Macedo should be ashamed and embarrassed by his cold-hearted comments and his lack of compassion. His actions and statements clearly demonstrate to me that natural selection is not in place.
Morgan Cook
Agribusiness junior