Brooke Hopkins, a retired literature professor, was in critical condition Wednesday after breaking his back in a bike accident.
Hopkins, 67, was brought to the U Hospital Friday night, said Ryann Rasmussen, a U Health Sciences spokeswoman. He was riding his bike downhill through City Creek Canyon and crashed after trying to avoid another bicyclist. Two vertebrae in his upper spine were broken, but not severed, in the accident.
Vince Pecora, the chairman of the English department, has been regularly visiting Hopkins at the hospital. He’s expected to recover, but his future mobility is still in question.
“This has all come as devastating news to all of us in the department and those of us who knew him,” Pecora said. The active bicyclist, hiker and skier was looking forward to a long, vigorous and lively retirement after teaching for 33 years, Pecora said.
Before he retired last spring, Hopkins taught British and American literature. His teaching abilities won him the U’s Presidential Teaching Scholar Award in 1998 and the Faculty Fellow Award in 2000. He also founded the College of Humanities’ writing program more than 30 years ago.
However, esteem and awards aren’t the greatest reward Hopkins found at the U. When he arrived in 1975 after earning his master’s at Harvard University, he met his future wife, Peggy Battin, a philosophy professor.
Jacob Paul, an English graduate student, said he remembers seeing Hopkins hiking up Shoreline Trail, hand in hand with his wife.
“They were always so warm and welcoming,” said Rachel Marston, an English graduate student.
His wife has kept a blog about Hopkins’ condition. According to her latest updates, he’s regained mobility in his shoulders and is actively engaging all of his visitors and nurses with the same friendship he’s shown all of his students and co-workers.
“We’re just keeping our fingers crossed and hoping for the best at this point,” Pecora said.