A cross-country motorcycle trip in Canada ended abruptly for 67-year-old Martin Waring from the UK when a wasp flew into his helmet and stung him on the face while riding on Highway 401 in Whitby, Ontario. The sting triggered an allergic reaction, causing him to lose consciousness and crash into a concrete barrier.
The incident occurred on September 3 in the eastbound lanes near Brock Street. Waring, who has over five decades of riding experience across regions like the Arctic Circle and the Himalayas, had begun his journey in Kelowna, B.C., on August 15 with plans to ride eastward across the country.
Up to that point, the trip had been memorable, with highlights like riding through Jasper National Park. Waring had reached a friend’s home near Georgian Bay and was continuing toward Quebec with two companions when the crash occurred.
Due to his severe allergy to wasps, the sting on his chin caused a rapid reaction. Despite trying to safely maneuver his motorcycle after being stung, he blacked out shortly after changing lanes. The crash left him with nine broken ribs and a fractured femur. He underwent surgery at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, where doctors inserted a titanium pin in his thigh.