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Biggest Loser' Abby Rike Fights Back After Speeding Car Accident Tragedy
Speed kills, goes the cliche. Yet cliches can stem from harsh realities, and that was the case for Abby Rike of Mabank, TX, who lost her entire family to a speeding driver in October of 2006. Now Rike, whose tiny town is southeast of Dallas, is sharing her story as a contestant on NBC's The Biggest Loser, airing at 7 p.m. CST Tuesdays.
On the show's season premiere Sept. 15, Rike revealed that three years ago she lost her husband, her 5 year old daughter and her 2 week old son when they were hit head-on by another car.
The Texas Department of Public Safety reported at the time that driver Justin Reller, 28, of Kemp was seen travelling at an estimated 100 mph on State Highway 198. He then rounded the so-called Phalba Curve and lost control, swerving into the lane of oncoming traffic and slamming head-on into a van with Rike's family. They died, as did he, at the scene.
This left Rike alone and devastated. She revealed on The Biggest Loser that it became a battle for her just to get up each day and face life. For comfort, the high school teacher sought solace in food, and as a result she gained weight to the point of 247 pounds, her starting weight on The Biggest Loser's fall season.
Each week contestants exercise and work to lose pounds, and at least one is voted off from among those with the least proportionate weight loss. Rike, 35, was not among the lesser losers in week one.
Each week she's in it, she'll be competing for a Biggest Loser title and prize money of a quarter of a million dollars. Yet like so many in the series' history, she'll be competing chiefly with herself -- pushing herself to reclaim her emotional and physical well being.
Like Rike, no one should have to endure such tragedy and cope with a horrifying loss that's no fault of their own. Yet Rike's sad story should be a wakeup call for anyone who ever drives recklessly and impatiently, perhaps speeding and not paying attention to the road. Such dangerous driving and speeding can cause enormous catastrophes for others, as it did with Abby Rike. But at least she's now on view as an inspiration for those who believe in family, in the law and in the courage and resilience of the human heart.
About the Author Jim S. Adler & Associates is an established Texas personal injury law firm with offices in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Channelview. The law firm provides a free case evaluation and represents victims of truck, motorcycle, auto, car, SUV and other traffic accidents.
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