Wall Strike BASE Jumping at Mt. Evans
Skydiving is safe. BASE jumping has a one percent failure rate. I am the one percent. But not a total failure because It’s a miracle I’m alive! I’m a cautious jumper. I’ve been skydiving for 8 years and have about 1500 jumps. I just recently started BASE jumping with my boyfriend (a doctor, which is relevant for later). He’s a cautious and very skilled jumper. I’m not addicted to adrenaline. I love being like a bird and flying around in the sky in my wing suit. It’s about freedom. I successfully completed some flights from a cliff in Italy with my hybrid suit. I’m a good flyer, and put my knowledge and practice to use. The next jumps in Colorado were at Mt. Evans the Black Wall. I loved the jump because it’s a self-imposed triathlon. A bike ride, a hike, and a jump. But this jump requires no suits. It’s called a slider-off jump (or jump and pull quick). This was my 4th time doing this beginner jump in very safe conditions at 6 in the morning. I jumped. Good conditions and perfect body form. The 1 percent created a tension knot in my parachute, collapsing one side. When the side opened again, I was facing the wall, and slammed into it at 40mph. My boyfriend heard my helmet hit the wall. The parachute which at first tried to kill me then saved me. It caught on the wall the whole way it slide me down 700 feet into a boulder field. What happens next is recounted by my boyfriend because I don’t remember a whole week of my life. The right side of my face took the most impact. Luckily some climbers on the wall had a GPS device that worked and called for help. My boyfriend’s training as a doctor kicked in. He knew how to position me and kept me breathing while we waited 2.5 hours for the medics to get to me. It was another 3.5 hours to the helicopter. A week later I wake up to missing front teeth, casts on my wrists, leg, elbow, and totally confused. I broke my teeth, face bones, elbow, wrists, knee, and ankle. I am Titanium Woman. My facial injuries were so severe they had to order a 3D plate from Belgium to insert under my eye. I was in the hospital for 3 weeks and in a wheelchair for more than 3 months. I am currently still recovering. On my 5 month accident anniversary, I hiked a hard hike, but slowly. I’m still in physical therapy to put my body back into working condition so I can teach yoga again. I’m waiting, patiently, but also bored, for my eye to have another surgery to fix the double vision. I’d like to say I’m grateful to be alive… But I have to be honest. There are many days I was mad that I just didn’t fall asleep and disappear into oblivion during the accident. I’m lucky all my 12 bones broke to save my brain and my spine. And I’m able to walk! My eye was saved, so it’s hopeful I’ll be a bird and fly again someday. So maybe that’s my take away for myself and others. Feel it, be mad, grieve what has been lost or changed. And know we can still find hope no matter how scary the unknowns are.
