Community puts Bill Byram Back on the Road

Bill resting in hospital bed, still in a positive spirit.

On Monday, the 21st, Bill Byram was riding his motorcycle when he took an exit going eastbound off I-84 to enter The Dalles. It was his second day riding his new bike, so he was still adjusting to it. Bill lost control and hit a car leaving him severely injured. He was taken by LifeFlight to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland.

Bill Broke his leg in six places, fractured his jaw in two places, fractured two vertebrae, and fractured multiple ribs. Since Monday he has had three surgeries and will more than likely receive four to five more in the upcoming week. The recovery from his accident is going to be around a year with years of physical therapy to follow.

“Tthank God he’s alive but it’s going to be a long road to recovery,” said his mother, Nancy Catlin, in a Facebook post earlier this week. “Everyone that knows me and my family thank you for all your words and donations it’s going to be a hard road for both his wife and my son… it’s so hard to get through this kinda thing; thank God we have such a loving community. In a two-day fundraiser on Facebook, it is already at $3700. Wow, that’s awesome.

Bill and Jessi dancing at their wedding

Bill, 35, was born and raised in The Dalles. He is an active member of the community and worked at Grocery Outlet for 16 years. He had just started a new job at Hood River Distilleries a month before the accident. Bill's mom, Nancy, and step-father, Ken Catlin, own and work at Beachwood Eatery here in The Dalles. Bill’s wife, Jessi, also works at the restaurant, but will need to take time off work to assist Bill with his medical needs. The restaurant has been slow since the start of COVID, causing Jessi to take a wage loss. 

Nancy and Ken have hosted many fundraising events at the restaurant to help members of the community in times of need. Their charity is returning to Bill, with an outpouring from the community. As of today, Sept. 24, his fundraiser had brought in $4,380 of the $8,000 goal. Donations can be made through the fundraiser page set up by Ken. The page name is Bill Byram medical fundraiser. You can access it by searching the fundraiser on Facebook or by clicking here.