The sudden and very tragic recent death of Natasha Richardson, wife of actor Liam Neeson - from hitting her head whilst skiing in Quebec, deeply saddened me and left me feeling frustrated. If she had been wearing a helmet she would still be here…
According to a spokesperson from Mont Tremblant where the she had her accident, Natasha fell and hit her head on a beginner slope, but did not feel unwell so carried on skiing.
It was only until later that evening that she developed a severe headache whereupon she was rushed to hospital in Montreal and then to one in New York City where she later died.
Hearing about Natasha brought back memories of when I first moved to Whistler, back in 2003 and was careering off a cat-track where I’d picked up a load of speed, and then caught my edge as I dug it in to stop, falling backwards and slamming down hard on the ice.
My wrist flung back as did my head - which smacked on the rock-hard ice beneath me. I lay there for several minutes, waiting for the pain in my lower back, head and wrist to subside.
The pain in my back and head did eventually disappear but the pain only worsened in my wrist.
Anyone who has been to Whistler will know that it is crawling with Ski Patrol - so lucky for me I had one of the worthy guys with me within a few minutes.
After threatening to cut my glove off, I managed to stop whining long enough to have my hand - attached to a very deformed looking wrist pulled free.
My wrist bone had snapped in half and my helmet had a dent the size of an enlarged golf ball in it.
If the impact snapped my wrist bone, without a helmet, my skull surely would have been fractured, leaving me…
Anyway, throughout the season I went on to compress a vertebrae, displace two ribs and twist my spine a little. I’ve also got nerve damage in my right knee, thanks to my persistent Super Pipe efforts - so it’s numb to the touch.
Now, almost six years later, after so many physio sessions I still can’t believe my insurance company coughed up for the lot, sessions with a chiropractor, an osteopath, electro-acupuncture, homeopathy, and having been referred to a neurologist back in the UK - my back still aches when I do anything remotely strenuous and is often stiff as hell.
So when I ride (snowboard and mountain bike), I wear a helmet, ice-hockey player’s shoulder pads and/or a spine protector and knee/shin pads.
I look a bit stupid, kind of like a Michelin (wo)man, but I know that a helmet saved my life and my armour enables me to continue riding, despite all my former injuries.
With my helmet and suit of armour on, I may not look as cool as those who choose to wear there so ‘on-trend slouch bobble hats’ but hell! I can ride as hard as I like safe in the knowledge that if I fall I’m not going to break much (more). And I’ll still be alive and kicking at the end of it.
Tags: Body Armour, Helmets, Skiing, Snowboarding
