Cable News Correspondent Involved in 'Gruesome' Bike Crash That Left Her With Stitches in Her Face

NBC News correspondent Stephanie Gosk discussed why she won't let a "gruesome" bike crash stop her from riding. In a personal essay published on Today.com. Gosk, 50, revealed she was involved in a serious bike crash that left her with several stitches and her helmet cracked. Gosk said that she took up cycling during the early days of the pandemic. "With the world on lockdown, biking felt like a form of rebellion," she said. "Doing it for the first time is scary because it's risky. The risk is part of the thrill." 

The journalist eventually gained enough confidence to sign up for a 65-mile ride outside New York City in March. Gosk said she started lagging behind the biking group, so she raced downhill to catch up. Distracted by the other cyclers, Gosk wasn't watching the road, and a pothole grabbed the front wheel of her bike and threw it roughly onto the street. "I slid along the pavement. My head hit, and my face dragged," she said.   

Gosk's accident occurred in a New Jersey suburb, and thankfully, a few residents called 911. "The scene was grim. My face was a mess, and so were my hands. My helmet was cracked clear through in two different places." She recalled the doctor telling her in the emergency room, "Your helmet looks like this, so your head doesn't have to."

Gosk credited her protective headgear with the fact that her injuries were not more severe. "The injuries looked gruesome but what's most important is what didn't happen to me," she continued. "I didn't break any bones. I didn't lose any teeth. I didn't get a concussion. That's the big one. The helmet did its job."   

"I'm extraordinarily lucky," Gosk said of receiving nine stitches above her left eye and three in her left hand and surgery for a torn ligament in her thumb. In a feature on Wednesday's episode of Today, Gosk advised that riders take a close look at the helmet ratings from Virginia Tech before buying a bike and replacing their helmet every five years since the "material degrades over time."

Gosk mentioned that she is also in the market for a new helmet, but fortunately, her bike was retrieved in good condition. Her 8-year-old daughter was straightforward in assessing the accident, telling Gosk, "Mommy," she said, "Maybe you should stick to the Peloton." The reporter added, "She's got more wisdom than her years. But I will be back, I love it."