Boarding And Injuries

One moment you're flying down the perfectly snow covered mountain side; competing with your friends and having the time of your life. Laughing and hoping the day will never go away. Then in seconds your day goes from having an epic day on the slopes to complete and utter disaster. One moment you're seeing your friend disappear into the trees trying to find some wicked back country and the next thing you know a horrifying scream comes from your friend. Rushing over to see what happened, you know with absolute certainty on the look of your friends face that something is terribly wrong.

Letting out the loudest screams imaginable sending the chills down every skier and boarders spine on the mountain, he lies there. Quickly overlooking his body to see whats wrong, we come to realize that the stick that we thought was stuck on his pants was actually his Tibia and Phibia (shin bone) that ripped through his skin and pants. "DO SOMETHING... HELP ME ", he lay there screaming. Stunned for a moment, adrenaline pumping through our veins and in shock, we quickly sent a friend down the mountain for help. Slowly yet swiftly we undid his straps from his bindings as he felt every little touch, even as much as a finger brushing his pants. Screaming for help as loud as our lungs would allow the word quickly spread up the ski lift to ski patrol at the top of the mountain.

Just when it seemed like no one was coming a ski patrol medic was spotted above us skiing down the mountain as if a life were at stake. In great relief he reached us. Cutting off his pant leg to get a better visual on the wound, a massive amount of blood was filling the 8 inch by 3 inch opening in his leg where the shin ripped through. Opening goz and giving us rubber gloves, we were told to apply pressure to the opened wound as he called in for an emergency chopper, ambulence and anyone they could get to help.

Imagine holding the shaking hand of your friend as you wait for further assistance. Talking to him as if he is on the edge of blacking out and praying in-between the frequent questions I had to ask so he would stay conscious. The terrifying screams will haunt us for the rest of our lives as we waited with him for 45 minutes in the trees of beaver mountain. No pain medication of any kind was available. Slow breathing was the best pain reliever available as his body was in the most pain it had ever felt before. Screaming with every touch of his leg he begged for his friend to put him out of his misery and to just knock him out.

It was time to put him on the straight board to bring him down the mountain. The medic warns him of the great amount of pain that he is going to feel for a couple of seconds as the turn him over and slide him on the board. With his eyes showing agony and pain, there was absolutely nothing we could do to help him more. "On three", the medic team says in unison, one, two, THREE. With the medics moving him, he lets out the most terrifying and horrid scream i've ever heard. The sad and scared expressions on each persons face was very visible now.

Wrapping him up like a mummy on the straight board they covered his face as we took one last look at our helpless and hurt friend and the mortified expression on his face. With all of these emotions running through me, I slowly rode down the mountain on my board right next to him, talking to him, giving him the comfort of knowing that he wasn't alone.

So Why are we put through these things in life? The trials we are given are ment to strengthen us and build who we are as a person. I know I have grown and still am growing from this experience even though it was not nearly as drastic or severe as my one Friend; who unfortunately had a nightmare come true that very day.

Keep Your Friends Close And Never Let Go.

Dedicated to Kyle Solomon

I love you man!

Brandon Child