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Steamboat Springs — When Oak Creek resident Trenton Kochenower heard his older brother, Tyrrell "Tye" Kochenower, had been involved in a motorcycle accident in Weld County, he immediately rushed to his side.

That was more than a week ago.

Since then, Kochenower and other members of his family have been at his brother's bedside hoping for a miracle as Tye Kochenower recovers from a severe brain injury, fractured skull and collapsed lung.

The accident occurred Sept. 21, on Weld County Road 29.

Colorado State Patrol Master Trooper Ron Watkins said Tye Kochenower and his 21-year-old girlfriend, Bethany Gibson, were riding on a 2004 silver Yamaha YZF-R6SC. At about midnight, the motorcycle skidded on a gravel road and began to roll.

Watkins said Kochenower was traveling about 55 mph at the time of the accident.

Kochenower and Gibson were ejected from the motorcycle. Neither was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. The couple were not found until nearly six hours later.

Gibson, a longtime Greeley resident, died at the scene. Kochenower was taken to North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, where he remains in serious condition in the intensive care unit.

"He's showing signs of good improvement, but this is going to change the rest of his life," Trent Kochenower said.

On Friday, Trent Kochenower said his brother had recently moved from Hayden to be closer to his two children, Shelby, 7, and Bridger, 5, who live in Loveland.

"He's an awesome brother and an awesome dad," he said. "He enjoys life."

Trent Kochenower described his brother as giving and generous.

"He's always been the one to be there for everyone else, including me," he said. "He'd take the shirt off his back to help someone - he's that guy."

Elise Bennett, Tye Kochenower's ex-wife and mother of the couple's children, said she met Kochenower after the two graduated from high school in 1997. Kochenower graduated from Hayden High School, where his family grew up.

"Tye's a good dad for the kids," Bennett said Friday. "He has a lot of good friends in Routt County."

Bennett said Kochenower has ridden motorcycles as long as she has known him.

Trent Kochenower and his family have set up a donation fund at Wells Fargo bank and jars at area businesses to help Kochenower with his medical costs. Kochenower does not have medical insurance.

"It'll be one less thing for him to worry about when he gets better because he's got a long road of recovery ahead of him," Trent Kochenower said. "I'm worried about his medical bills piling up on him."

Trent Kochenower said he is grateful for the support his family has already received from the community.

"People in (Routt County) like to help each other because we're such a small community," he said.

Watkins said the accident is still under investigation.