Skiing after a brain injury - a goal 10 years in the making #moonshot

Thursday, March 31st, 2022 marked the first time in 10 years that I shredded a ski hill.

I have been longing to do it again, to feel the wind on my face, to hear the snow crunch under the edges of my skis, to just “be” on the hill.

I used to be a ski racer, attacking the slopes, cutting and slicing my way down again and again. I was comfortable on the hill and loved the vertical.

But skiing became my Moonshot goal after I had a brain hemorrhage in 2014 in London, England. This nearly killed me and after weeks in a coma and months in hospital, I was left learning how to walk, talk and even smile again. I was in a wheelchair.

I remember working on the even bars; now, these are just what they sound like, even bars you hold when you are unsteady on your feet. I was slowly learning how to walk again and the rehab team asked me what I wanted to get back to doing?

Now some context. I used to play a lot of sports: soccer, hockey, baseball, skiing, you name it, I played it. Sports were a big part of my life.

I thought about it long and hard. What would be the most difficult thing to do again? That would show a substantial rehabilitation on my part if I could do it? Skiing would be the most difficult. Balance, core strength, depth perception, and judging obstacles at speed with my double vision would make things interesting.

“I would like to ski again,” I told my rehab team.

They all paused for a minute, exchanging quick glances.

“Okay,” they said.

I was not even walking at this stage and this goal seemed like a Moonshot. I was not sure skiing would ever be possible.

I realize now this was a simple exercise, designed to get me thinking about future goals. But it became burned into my mind as something I was gunning for.

I was asked when I wanted to make this goal happen and 10 years after my last ski adventure in the French Alps sounded like a nice round number.

So in recent months, I prepared. Every morning I would visualize the movements I make to throw a turn.

After buying a new helmet I brought my skis into the shop for a tune-up. What were once pretty good skis, are now relics of the past. (Perhaps, like their owner?)

I was told the skis could be sharpened and waxed but they couldn’t adjust my bindings for liability reasons because they are too old. That's reassuring, I thought to myself….

On March 31 I headed to Grouse Mountain with two mates @Andrew and @RJ who had my back.

The goal was to make it down the mountain and up the lift. Any lift, any run. Not a tow rope, a lift. (Side note: Grouse no longer has a tow rope)

And I started to ski. Not to get all whoo hoo on ya, but it was just like I had visualized it. (Three pumps of my poles, into a left-hand turn). It's amazing how much is buried up there, somewhere.

With the help of the boys, we did it! We did it and it was glorious.

I cannot tell you how relieved I was. I have repeated this goal for years, so it would have been rather embarrassing if I couldn’t ski.

Feeling my weight transfer over the edges and sliding from edge to edge, I felt I was flying. You could not wipe the smile off my face!

Double vision complicated things somewhat and I squinted closed one eye to see more clearly. I may try an eye patch on one eye next time.

I do not share this story to boast about my accomplishments, well… maybe a small part of me does. I’m proud I managed it. But mostly I want to let you know that shooters shoot. That we all have Moonshots in our lives that take us somewhere important and make us get better.

Write down your goals, give yourself deadlines, and work toward something. This was a Moonshot, I tell ya, a Moonshot and here I am skiing.

It took years to get here. Years of rehab, years of help from doctors, friends, and family. A part of me has been working on this since that day on the even bars in 2014 and here we are. Below are more photos of the day and a video of one of those first runs.

This Moonshot happened. I was able to ski. It was not super glamorous and it was mostly Greens and a few Blues, but baby, I was cutting, slicing, and dicing down the slopes.

Whatever YOUR Moonshot, you can make it happen. Be intentional and work toward your goal, step by step, day after day.

My podcast about resilience and adversity called “Play loose look tight - Documenting the process of life after” will be picking back up again and I invite you to follow along. It might help you as you aim for your own Moonshot.

Thank you for reading. Please share with someone who could benefit from this message.

#Slowissmoothandsmoothisfast

#shootersshoot

#moonshot

#goals

#goal-setting

#Braininjury