# Broken Back



## dharmashred (Apr 16, 2009)

Hey beautiful people - 

My friend broke his back last weekend taking a huge jump in the park and it was fucking _terrifying_.  Initially, it didn't look like a bad fall and he was going to move out of the way, when he screamed in pain, we immediately told him not to move. I had mountain emergency # saved in my phone and called immediately. Others who saw from the lift also yelled they would send help. He was under the jump and we did not want to move him, so lucky for us, some riders jammed down there and stood at the top of the jump to wave off people and stop them from dropping in. He was taken to Mammoth emergency, then airlifted to Reno. He broke his back in 2 places and it has been a terrifying week of waiting for his vitals to be stable enough for surgery, and to find out if he was going to walk again. Surgery was successful, though he is in quite a bit of pain, *he will walk again*. He's got 6 weeks of rehab ahead of him, and he'll be walking just in time for his June wedding. 

I know that we all do this knowing that danger is imminent, and just how precarious our situation is with the mountains alive all around us, but it's so different to have it actually upon you. I just wanted to share this with everyone, and I'm sure you all have this down already, but if you don't, please get a basic understanding of immediate first aid, what to do, what not to do. If he had moved just a bit..I just don't want to think about what could have happened. I'm grateful to all the park riders who came to our rescue, and ever grateful to ski patrol and mammoth mountain hospital for taking such great care of my friend. Get your first aid, or at least a basic understanding of first aid, and make sure you have all mountain emergency numbers with you and you are as prepared as you can be. 

I am still shaken up and sad, and somehow feel partially responsible, even though I know I'm not. It's the worst feeling in the world to have your riding partner go down right in front of you. This just reminds me that anything can happen in the blink of an eye, any run and any moment can really be the last. 

Peace and love,
dharma


----------



## Zee (Feb 21, 2008)

Vibes+++ Wishing him a quick recovery. 

You absolutely did the right thing. Your quick thinking may have saved him from something worse. Kudos


----------



## supremej (Feb 14, 2010)

wow get well soon
you did the right thing!!!

it could of bin way worse if it wasent for your quick thinking

mountain emergency # is a great idea to have in your phone---im stealin that idea, everyone should!!!!


----------



## krazykunuck (Feb 18, 2010)

and if your going to screw around with your phone numbers also put .ice before the main contact name in your phone, it will give mountain services, and ems personel the abilitity to notify whoever that you have been in a accident and that they can come to you.

.ice ________ 

my sister is a ems and it works wonders, the stories are nuts about trying to find a emergency contact person, so just make it simple for those people that are there to save your ass


----------



## sook (Oct 25, 2009)

Wow, thats so sad to see someone go down like that. I'm glad that he is already on the road to recovery. Good on you for being prepared and level headed in an emergency.

Be safe everyone


----------



## mrpez (Jan 29, 2010)

im gonna go save the mountain emergency number in my phone now, good thinking


----------



## Guest (Feb 20, 2010)

wow....best wishes for a speedy recovery to your friend and great quick thinking and help on everyones part shutting down the jump etc.


----------



## cokelacola (Jan 8, 2010)

damn dude sorry about your friend best wishes gett better soon


----------



## dharmashred (Apr 16, 2009)

Thanks everyone for the good ***vibes*** and the well wishes. I will send the positive energy along most definitely. .ice - good to know, i'll do that. He's out of ICU and asking to see the vid from his fall and cracking jokes. He called and said "yo dude, it was all just a case of bad gas :laugh::laugh::laugh: L O fucking L ...now I _know_ he's alright


----------



## v-verb (Feb 1, 2009)

Glad he'll be OK - best wishes!!!!


----------



## jegnorge (Feb 15, 2010)

how did he crash exactly? and how big was the jump? wow!!!


----------



## Guest (Feb 21, 2010)

speedy recovery to him


----------



## krazykunuck (Feb 18, 2010)

in the snowboard canada magazine they were talking about mental imagery to speed healing time, have him envision go back onto the slopes and do so much better, apparently speeds up the healing process or so it says, what ya got to loose?


----------

