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Show rare sieveniek: THE $32, ooo DAVE The $32, 000 Yard Sale Monday, October 28, 1996. The morning started as all should; stepping into duofold. My housemate Joe “Powder” Day poured the “black medicine” which sent us into pack-rat mode. Oatmeal and bananas in _ Between strips.” to... the _ Suburban and glances at the weather channel filled the void. Snow in the Salt Lake Valley, up to two feet in the mountains. Joe and I had to have it. Guardsmans Pass was still open. The Suburban was. stymied on the last switchback. Amidst praise low-angle rock band. Nobody saw the actual tumble. I had tumbled over thirty feet of rock. I was in bad shape. Terrible shape. were stel- lar: CPisi My change. I had $52.00 CC in cash, went for $5000 help, Jim a tended to in | shattered both sides surance maa ageampienleeleaue aski-bum ade of : hes Hy. right’ Cheek’ “pone; 4 wounds. I lacerated my kidney and between was fad- right thigh, as well as a $5000 and ne dn and csewere “beating ou tio “aiy eo ee abs): left: knee : and, any."eight extent of ‘ae up. We ambled to the top of ines conquering our Samuel Adams laden summer veins. and ski ego I possessed. 95 unknown. — I was , Life-Flighted to L.DS. Ca 2" years. Apa ay . received a letter from At the top we discussed our Hospital. I spent a total of six Richard M. Cagen, Administrator of I.H.C. . It options and decided upon a west-facing, low-angle, treeprotected aspect we had spied on our amble. After a forty minute boot we were nights at L.D.S., the first two reads, in L.C.U. I shattered both you that after reviewing the above referenced account a decision has been made to sides of my jaw, broke my right cheek bone, lacerated my kidney and right thigh, as well as a severe beating to atop our first turns of ‘96"97. Clouds rolled in and out, my ribs, left knee and any ski _ego I possessed. J remember oS the sun created .prisms.. The. first ten turns were somewhat waking up-in.I.C.U.,.on the — second day tossing Lori’s -wind-affected as well as summer affected. Then the old familiar rhythm; we’d hit hair around asking, ” Lori, Lori what happened?” For a it perfectly. Dancing through ~ better portion of the day I repeated this. wind-blown creamy. Hoots Well, Dr. Patton and Dr. and hollers as we reached the Mikesell operated twice on road. Two laps later we skied my jaw, he first time to set it. the >. foad’ ‘back. to:+sthe It did nothing for the bones Suburban, exhausted and which were severely shatexuberant. We descended > tered and overlapping. The Big Cottonwood, visions of second surgery, a three hour winter holding us speechless. affair, entailed peeling my We landed back at Joe’s face back by slicing at my house and, as I stepped out of neck and ear on both sides, my gore-tex, I sat and reflectreaching in primarily by feel ed on my last tour when I and resetting the bones and landed: in L.D.S. hospital securing them with titanium well spaced trees in boot top ‘Thursday, March 21, 1996. I was on a Ski tour with Chris Emerick, Jim Jack, and Fish. I still have no memory of the day, yet can relate what hap-pened through their accounts. We had made our way down more than half of Mt. Superior; skiing a line on plates. In the final x-ray they look like ski edges. The Wasatch Canyon Reporter ran a story on my situation last season which included an angle on my financial pain. They reported that I “was underinsured and will soon, probably Little Superior. The skiing was great corn and it was a facing beautiful the out-of-control _ Apparently spring day. I skied onto the even before [I am] fully healed, be those conspiracy vultures from medical in this country”. spine of the chute we were Here is how that panned out: skiing and the snow gave way and I disappeared over a The final total of all medical charges incurred was SALE KOPAZS $5000 in emergency skier insurance. That was my coverage and that was paid out. I wrote a letter and submitted a financial report to the L.D.S. offices. Il explained that I had face had taken the brunt of the fall. My companions for the winter day, we geared _ the pass, adrenaline surging, $32,718 YARD to express my thanks. This story is of the spirit of Alta and the Wasatch. Many thanks to the following contributors. You all with your support energized my _healing: Goldminers Daughter, Alta Ski Lifts, Alta Sports, Albion © Snowpine Lodge, Grill, Rustler Lodge, Alpenglow, EK c/o John Caswell, Shallow Shaft, Julie Cooke-Batiks, Kevin Cass- Photos, Stor-A-Ski, Photohaus, Wildcolor Photography, Solitude Ski Resort, Peak Photography, Brighton W.C.R., Store Alta Peruvian, and Cafe, Java, Alta Zippy-Hang Gliding, Watson Cafe, Bill Harrison/Shirley HebertRamer, Alta Ski Shuttle, General Distributing. Many, many personal “this letter is to inform — thanks, forgive me for any- write off the entire balance”. A balance of $20, 641.35. The town of Alta and others donated . $4,238. _ Lusty McKenney organized a raf- . fle. My heart-swells when I think of Lusty; I cannot begin one missed: Lusty again, all involved in the rescue: Life Flight, Snowbird Alta Fire Ski Patrol, Dept., and Powderbirds. My three com- panions Chris, Jim, and Fish. _Elfriede and Jim Shane for their support and for housing my Father. My Father Jerry who traveled from Michigan. Wike utd Angie Brochu, Ned Stapleton, Andrew Hodge, Launi, and Jen Gilmore my extended family. Joe and Natalie Day who took me in for the summer. Dr. Patton and Dr. Mikesell whose work is of miracle proportions. Special thanks to all G.M.D. employees whose energy and rallying healed me. A very, very special thanks to Lori Elmer who stayed by me and exhibited unparalleled love. I owe all my healing to those around me. My healing has been rapid and trouble free. My mouth was wired shut for six weeks. My other ailments are virtually all healed besides some scar- ring. Mentally I am strong. Dust off and back at it. It was a freak accident. Only my Maker and I saw the tumble _and I still have no memory. I have a renewed energy for friends, family, and life. I have a renewed respect for the mountains. Never, ever lose that respect. Never, ever. For the mountains -were easy A on me. | |