Bill Hardin of Bear Creek had a terrible hand injury

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

I've been talking with my friend Bill for a few weeks privately but he's decided to go public about his injury:

On Feb 24th I was compressing some garbage into a trash can and a piece of glass broke cutting my wrist. I sliced my artery, 4 tendons and quite a few nerves. My hand feels like a numb potato on the end of my arm. This is the second time in my life I have almost torn my right hand off. I can't explain why this happened. I don't really care. I'm angry and very f***ing scared. If you pray please pray for me to recover the use of my hand and continue building guitars. If that's not Gods will then please see me as finding a new direction in my life that is as fulfilling as this wonderful craft I have enjoyed for well over half my life. Thanks to my friends and family for their love and support.

Bill is a wonderful guy as well as one of the finest luthiers around. This is really tragic as luthery is how he's made a living for 25 years. He seriously injured the same hand early in his career. It's so sad that it happened again and in fact, he almost died from blood loss but a neighbor happened to come home early. I thought of starting a fund but Bill said he didn't want that. If Calif-based folks have ideas for helping him finish outstanding orders that would be great.

James Hartman · From: Pennsylvania, USA

Wow, that's awful. I hope he can find his way to a positive outlook for the future. And, I certainly hope he recovers use of the damaged hand.

I know from my own experience that nerve damage is maddeningly slow to heal, and things often don't return to pre-injury condition. But the human body is a remarkably adaptive thing and we can overcome a lot. Think of Django Reinhardt.

Also, I hope he's found he best medical help he can. Doctors and medical institutions run the gamut of awesome to incompetent. The best of them are doing amazing things these days.

Best of luck to him.

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

I don't have any ideas on how to help Bill, but I wanted to express my condolences and hopes for a speedy recovery. That's a terrible blow to a great builder.
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Philip Tamarkin · From: California, USA

I'm so sorry, and I pray that something good comes of this. Bill's one of best luthiers out there, and an incredibly nice guy.

Michael Nemick · From: Caseville, Michigan, USA

This is terrible news. I have one of Bills creations and wouldn't trade it for the world. We will pray for a complete and speedy recovery. The Wessie world would not be the same without him. Get well completely and soon Bill.
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Bill Leff · From: Santa Cruz, CA, USA

Sorry to hear this. I've played his Bear Creek Weisenborn's and they are incredible.

I can't think of anything off-hand that I would think Bill himself hasn't thought of in terms of contacting others in the luthier community to see if they can lend a hand. There are certainly a large number of luthiers in California (particularly where I live, where we have Santa Cruz Guitar Company and many other fine luthiers) and of course Bill Asher is in Santa Monica, Bob Taylor near San Diego and so many others.

Tom Pettingill · From: California, USA (deceased)

What a horrible thing to happen to anyone regardless of trade or craft.
God willing, I certainly wish him a full and speedy recovery so he can get back to doing what he loves.
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Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

I'll be thinking of him as well. Attitude is everything and I really hope he finds peace and understanding as he heals.
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Michael Nemick · From: Caseville, Michigan, USA

Gary C. Dygert · From: Frankfort, NY, USA

Bill, all I can do is send good thoughts your way.

John Bushouse · Posted 24 Mar 2012 3:00 pm

Andy, do you have any contact information for Bill you could PM me? I have a luthier friend in the Santa Cruz area who is (1) a Weissenborn-style guitar afficianado and (2) a fantastic builder. He's interested in trying to find a way to help with existing orders.

Nicholas Ackron · From: Daytona Beach

PRAYING FOR HIM AND HIS FAM!!!

Richard Shatz · From: St. Louis

My gig is plastic and reconstructive surgery, which includes reconstructive hand surgery.

Without knowing which structures were injured, it is obvious that the injury was devastating. Hopefully the reconstruction was performed by a well-trained hand surgeon. If so, that is a large part of the battle. The tendons will heal. The nerves will at least partially reconnect and reinnervate , so that sensation and useful movement can be restored.

Return of sensation and muscle strength is dependent on a number of things, many of which cannot be controlled. Just as important as the surgery is the rehabilitation phase of recovery. What I mean this is that the harder you work, the more likely it is that you will regain adequate function. It will never really be quite as good as it was, and sometimes more surgery is necessary to improve movement.

You are in for a long and sometimes painful recovery. Just remember your effort can do as much to help your recovery as anything else. Don’t get discouraged.

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