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A year later, a new finish line for cyclist, parents after traumatic crash

Lori Cove is no longer fighting for her life but for a quality of life after a traumatic brain injury, suffered when she was hit by a car while riding her bike in Cary last autumn.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Last autumn, a driver plowed into a crowd of cyclists in Cary and dramatically changed the lives of both the women he hit and those who love them.

Lori Cove was 48 and had completed two Ironman competitions in the fall of 2016. She was out for her regular ride with three friends on Oct. 17 when, according to police, Christopher Moore plowed into the group on High House Road.

Moore is charged with two counts of felony hit-and-run and one count of driving with a revoked license and is awaiting trial in the Wake County jail under a $130,000 bond.

Cove and Ginny Davis, 55, of Cary, both suffered serious injuries. Davis has had multiple surgeries to deal with bone fractures in her leg, the most recent one on Tuesday.

The crash left Cove in critical condition, fighting for her life at WakeMed. A year later, she is at a rehabilitation center in Charlotte, where her parents spend 13 hours a day caring for her.

Barbara and Jack Cove were living out their golden years in Miami when the call came from the emergency room.

"He told us she wouldn't make it through the night. She did," Barbara Cove said. They've been in North Carolina since that night.

"I help get her bathed ... get her up in her wheelchair," she said.

"She has a determination factor second to none," Jack Cove added.

Lori Cove is no longer fighting for her life but for a quality of life after a traumatic brain injury, with her parents as her lead cheerleaders.

Her room at Carrington Place Rehabilitation Center is decorated with photos, cards and well-wishes from an army of friends and colleagues at the Town of Cary, where she worked.

"She had a birthday in June and got 170 birthday cards," her mother said.

Cove's friends are hosting a bike ride in Cary on Oct. 7 – the Tour de Cove – to raise money for her rehabilitation expenses that go beyond what is covered by insurance. Her parents are thankful but not surprised by the support.

"She's special. She's always been special," Barbara Cove said.

Her husband added, "She's got a bunch of great wonderful friends."

Friends and family want to see Lori Cove reach a new finish line.

"We hope she can be self-sufficient," Barbara Cove said. "We're not young, and who knows how long we'll be around."

The Tour de Cove will feature 20- and 50-mile bike rides and a 2.5-mile walk, music, food and a silent auction.

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