Olympian Craig Buck Recovers at UCLA Hospital

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Craig Buck is in critical condition at UCLA’s hospital after being injured in a biking accident in Hope Ranch October 5 th .

“It has been 72 hours since the accident and the hospital told us from the beginning that would be an important bench mark. So we have passed that bench mark and that is a very good thing,” said Buck’s brother-in-law, Jack Hamann.

Buck, 57 is fighting for his life. The 6-foot-9 athlete won gold medals in the 1984 in Los Angeles and 88′ Oympics in Seoul as part of the U.S. men’s volleyball team.

Buck’s family and doctors are crediting Buck’s road to recovery on his physical fitness.

“Craig has the heart of a lion. He has been an athlete all his life. He is this big broad-shouldered guy and even though he hasn’t played competitive volleyball for years he is tall and strong and those attributes have served him well. It is a great lesson for staying fit,” said Hamann.

Califonia Highway Patrol officers say Buck was cycling on the wrong side of the road in Hope Ranch when he collided with a pickup truck. While officers say it appears Buck was in the wrong, Buck’s family says there are two sides to the story.

“Please reserve any judgment until we all get a chance to hear all sides of the story. And certainly if there are people who are witnesses or people that have video through security cameras. Please don’t hesitate to contact the CHP,” said Hamann.

Buck was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and suffered serious head trauma. While his injuries are critical, his family and doctor say he is responding to treatment well.

“One of the amazing nurses here at UCLA Medical Center started to touch Craig and shake him and say ‘Craig, you are in the hospital, your wife and sister are here and Craig if you can hear me and understand me then I want you to raise your thumb,’ and for the first time Craig raised his hand and gave a thumbs-up,” said Hamann.

Buck’s brother-in-law says once people in the community heard about his mishap it started a social media campaign of friends and volleyball players posting thumbs-up pictures on the Facebook page, Craig Buck, Get Well Soon.