Oh my, that's awful, but I can certainly see how it happens. We live in a rural area full of deer, and two deer tore out in front of my husband riding a couple of summers ago. He missed one of them by just a couple of feet. I was riding a few bike lengths behind him and saw the whole thing play out. It happened SO fast, and my heart was leaping out of my chest, but there wasn't a thing I could do. And this was on the flats, not even a descent. Sometimes things just happen.

Hope your friend's husband recovers quickly!

Emily