The Snowboard Realms interviews Brett Butcher.
SnowboardRealms- What happend ?
Brett Butcher – It was day two of Snowboarder’s Super Park and after hitting the 90 footer all morning, the attention turned to the massive hip. About 20 of us where feeling it out and warming up. There was a weird rut in the far right takeoff, so a few guys started to hit the takeoff more too the middle. I believe it was the fourth or fifth time I had dropped. I remember getting a little swirly in the bottom of the transition and got pushed right
SBR- When you were in the air what were you thinking?
BB- The second I left the lip I knew I was done for. There was a shadow line at the bottom of the transition and I was already out of the shade and over the sun as I was peeking. I could also hear the gasps of everyone watching. I new it wasn’t going to be good. The only thing going through my mind was to stay loose and land feet first. The fall didn’t knock me out so I remember it all very vividly. Watching the video, it looks like I’m falling forever. When it happened it seemed to have gone by quicker.
SBR- What were your injuries from the crash ?
BB-My injuries from the fall where a compressed L1 vertebrae and a blown out sternum. My back broke on impact. Once I hit, my body went numb. Everything hurt. *Friends where by my side instantly helping me out and Ski patrol was close too fallow. They advised me to get a ride down in the toboggan and take an ambulance to the hospital. I had never been on a toboggan ride nor have I been in an ambulance and I was determined to avoid it. Ski Patrol was very reluctant to let a friend take me to the hospital but after some discussion they agreed and told me I had to sign a waver to release me from their care. By this time I had been laying in the snow for a good 10 minutes and everything was sore. Felt like I got hit by a truck. This is when things took a turn for the worst. There was a ton of pressure in my chest from the fall and as I sat up, the pressure released blowing out my sternum. I instantly started to freak out thinking I was dying. My chest was gurgling and I was having trouble breathing. Ski Patrol jumped into action and raced me down to the ambulance.
*( myself and another dude were the first on the scene , I’m in the purple hoodie with the shaved head. I remember we started running towards him before he had even hit the ground. This was one of the scariest moments of my life. I thought for sure he was going to be broken in half. When i got up to him he was gasping for air and we just tried to keep Brett calm. I was really scared for him. )
SBR- Are there any lasting injuries from this crash ?
BB- It has been 18 months since the fall and my back and sternum still get sore from time to time if I don’t stretch. I have a bulge on my chest from where my sternum blew out and that will be with me forever. I swear I am shorter because of the fall!
SBR- When you think back to the fall, how does it make you feel ?
BB- When I look back at the fall, I feel very fortunate. I wasn’t really feeling the hip but decided to hit it again. I usually am good about listening to the little voice in my head. But that’s life, you live with the choices you make. Looking at the footage, I fully believe it’s a miracle that I am walking, let alone alive. Landing any other way would have been devastating. It hasn’t changed the way I snowboard but it has made me think a bit more about what I am hitting and how I am feeling that particular day on my snowboard.
check out Brett , were happy he’s alive too.
theSnowboardRealms.
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