Heart of Bronze, Silver and Gold
Last week my nephew Garrett participated in the X-games Snocross event, held in Aspen Colorado. For those that aren’t familiar with the competition, it’s said to be the greatest winter action sport athletes competing annually from around the world. To participate in the games is by invitation only, unless you were lucky enough to be on the podium the previous year.
This is the fourth time my nephew has entered as an athlete, even though he was invited the last five consectutive years. To begin his X-games journey, let me take you back five and half years. Garrett, along with my son Andrew, were at a motocross track outside of Madison, WI. Garrett races Snocross, but in the off-season kept in shape riding motocross. They were practicing before the race began, and video-recording each other with a helmet cam. Long story short, while Andrew was waiting at the bottom of a double jump he just landed, my nephew had an accident that would change his life forever.
When the call came in, my entire family dropped everything to make the two hour trek to the hospital he had been airlifted to. We were told the next several hours would be critical to his life; he had suffered a spinal cord injury. Post surgery we learned he had no feeling from the waste down, and after a few weeks in the ICU, then being transferred to R.I.C. in Chicago, IL. to his final stay at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD, his journey was far from over.
Extreme sports have always been a way of life for Garrett, and all of the men in my family. Racing was second nature and my brother/Garrett’s dad, owns a performance shop for snowmobiles. He was exposed at an early age, and developed a love for the sport. It was devastating for the family, as this was my brother and nephew’s life together.
What makes this story special is Garrett’s love for the sport hasn’t been spoiled by the accident, his determination and heart has kept him in the game. Amazingly enough, he got back on a sled less than nine months after the accident.
I can’t tell you it was met with high-fives and a celebration from the family. We were all concerned about further injury since he was still in the healing process, but it didn’t stop this young man from pursuing his passion. Because of his determination, we couldn’t help but support him. His first race back, which happened to be the last race of the season, he ended up winning bronze in the adaptive Snocross race. My family is well-known in the industry, and tears of joy were shed by many in the crowd that day.
With race number one under his belt and several months to prepare for the next season, he focused on getting better, continued developing a special seat to accommodate his needs, and when the X-games invitation came in, he was ready. His first year he placed bronze, the next year silver and the following year gold.
Riding snowmobiles had taken a toll on his health and the next year he spent it in and out of the E.R./hospital while going to college and living hours from home. The fourth X-games invitation came through, but because of recent health issues he had to pull out. He spent the next five months either in the hospital or rehab recovering.
When he announced he would race again in the 2016/2017 season I was apprehensive as well as fearful for his health, but this young man wasn’t going to let his life be lead by limitation or fear. He received the fifth consecutive invitation to the X-games and he prepared to compete with the top athletes in his class. After being out of the sport for year, came back and took silver.
Garrett has never let his injury define him, stop or limit him from pursuing his passions and dreams. He will earn his engineering degree this spring, and I believe will do great things. He is a champion in my eyes, and has a heart of bronze, silver and gold. The best is yet to come for this inspiring young man.
Love you G-man! #staystrong333
xoxox…..Sheryl