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Randy Budd provided this photo of his family, taken during happier times. The family is now gathered at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, where Randy's wife, Sharon Budd, 52, is in critical condition after being struck by a rock thrown from an Interstate 80 overpass. Pictured, from left, are Luke, Kaylee, Joey, Sharon, James and Randy Budd.

(Submitted photo)

DANVILLE – Kaylee Budd has wanted to ride on a motorcycle but she says she knows her mother would never let her.

Her mother, Sharon, could not object Saturday because she was in a medically induced coma at Geisinger Medical Center near Danville recovering from severe head injuries suffered July 10 when a rock smashed the windshield of the family car on Interstate 80.

Kaylee Budd, 19, is not sure her father, Randy, would have given permission had the media not be present. She pleaded with me "let me do it dad," he explained Sunday.

"It was so much fun," she said about the experience of riding from the Milton area to New Berlin, back to Milton and then to Geisinger. "I had a blast."

Although her butt was a little sore from riding on the back of cycle that long, Kaylee Budd said she is ready to do it again.

The countryside was so pretty with all the farms, she said. Long-time friend Kristen Korner, a neighbor of the Budds in Uniontown, Ohio, also rode, both wearing Budd Strong pink T-shirts.

Kaylee Budd, who will be a sophomore at the University of Akron after transferring from Cincinnati to be closer to home, said she hopes when she is able to tell her mother she was on a motorcycle she will scream just as she would have done before the injury.

The reason for the uncertainty is surgeons removed part of the brain that controls personality during a more than 13-hour operation 10 days ago that also included facial reconstruction. Doctors have alerted the family her personality might be different.

The benefit was put together in about a week by Larry Troxell and the staff of LT's Tavern he opened July 18. Despite the short time, 250 motorcyclists from a wide area registered, Troxell's son Tim said. The turnout renewed his faith in humanity, he said.

Randy Budd spoke at the registration and returned Saturday night where he was presented a check of $7,670.

"It was unbelievable," he said. "It was so impressive. It made yesterday a lot easier for us."

Before the riders left on the run, they formed a circle around Budd and started clapping. "It was very emotional," he said.

The entire family, excluding son Luke who is about to be deployed by the Army to Afghanistan, plus some Geisinger staff went outside to see the motorcyclists ride by the hospital.

Sharon Budd, 52, would be shedding tears of joy if she knew what took place, her husband said. "The entire United States is rallying behind her," he said. "I pray I can share this with her."

Kaylee Budd, who was driving the car when the rock smashed the windshield, called the support "mind blowing." She believes it is helping her mother on her long road to recovery.

Doctors are slowly bringing her out of the coma and Sunday again had her out of bed for a little while, her daughter said. The family believes she recognizes them when they speak to her.

Four male teenagers have been charged, three of them as adults, with throwing rocks from the Gray Hill Road overpass about two miles west of Route 15 in the New Columbia area.