Bill Thornburg is a name seldom heard in the classrooms of the Sacramento State physics department these days. However, early in the spring 2002 semester, he became the center of different arguments for solving the growing campus problem relating to traffic.

The fuse of the issue suddenly ignited on the evening of Feb. 7, 2002, when Thornburg, then a 70-year-old physics professor, was struck by a car outside the Hornet Bookstore while walking to his car to gather up some books.

Earlier that same day, Emily Chu, a member of the CSUS Foundation, spoke with university transportation officials and requested the immediate placement of stop signs along the American River stretch of Campus Drive. Three hours later, one man’s life was dramatically changed forever when he was hit by a car and thrown 25 feet. Thornburg suffered a concussion, a separated shoulder and stitches in his head.

For that semester, the headlines and arguments reigned, and the resulting stop signs on State University Drive East are lasting evidence of Thornburg’s story. Thornburg tried to return to his classes for the semester, but unrelated medical problems caused him to miss finals.

Thornburg has since made a nearly complete recovery from the accident. A traumatic brain injury can have a variety of lasting effects on the person. In Thornburg’s case, his short-term memory was impaired by the accident. His memory is still sharp, but he admits, ” I can tell you all about what I did back in the second grade,” but adds now that his ” short term memory is a little foggy.”

Thornburg said the accident slowed him down in his prime. He was an athlete all his life, and his family has always been a group of avid hikers. Thornburg hopes he and his family can soon return to the mountains for more backpacking trips, but plans to start slow, with short walks and hikes.

“I feel physically OK; it’s just frustrating dealing with short-term memory loss. But I always pull through,” Thornburg said.

On the night of the accident, Kelly Challender (currently The State Hornet’s assistant photo editor) was working in the Hornet bookstore and was at the window closest to the site of the accident.

“I saw a huge white truck slam into (Thornburg) and watched him fly more than 10 feet across the road,” Challender said. She then screamed and told the store manager, Jim Kallas, to call 911. Challender then waited with Bill, until the ambulance arrived.

“I was in shock. So was everyone else. But we helped keep people in the bookstore until the ambulance was on its way to the hospital,” Challender said.

In the fall 2002 semester, Challender became a student in one of Thornburg’s beginning astronomy classes. On the first day of class, Thornburg spoke about his accident and of how grateful he was that the nice young lady from the bookstore stayed with him until the ambulance rushed him to the hospital.

Shortly after that class, Challender approached Thornburg and told him that it was she who saved his life that night.

“Then he gave me a big hug, right there in front of the whole class, and thanked me for saving his life,” Challender said.

Staff in the physics and astronomy department continues to smile when asked about Thornburg. He was, and still is respected throughout the department for what he still does for the university.

“The fact that he survived after being 70 years old, it’s amazing,” said Gary Shoemaker, the chair of the physics and astronomy department. Shoemaker hoped, as did many in the physics department, Thornburg’s return to teaching would be good and strong, but noting the injuries suffered, he said “it all made being a professor more difficult.”

Shoemaker also said “(Thornburg) was satisfied with what he got as a retirement,” and that he still volunteers in and throughout the department, mostly in the astronomy lab, with a group known as the Sacramento Valley Astronomy Society.

Thornburg remains as more than just a memory to his colleagues and old students.

Sean Hogan can be reached at [email protected]