“Grateful for being alive”: Canadian pro ski racer documents scary crash
Canadian skier Kris Mahler shared some scary but encouraging news about a recent crash suffered during a race in Switzerland.
The 28-year-old suffered a harrowing crash but managed to get up and finish the race. After waking up the next morning in intense pain, he sought further medical attention where it was discovered he had broken his C7 vertebrae. Miraculously, the broken vertebrae did not push on his spinal cord for the entire time between his crash and him seeking medical attention.
In a post shared to his Instagram, Mahler described the full timeline of the incident, starting with the crash suffered in the third round of a recent ski cross event in Arosa, Switzerland.
“A pivotal moment in the third round changed everything,” explained Mahler in his Instagram post. “A jump that seemed routine turned into a nightmare. Trying to avoid a collision in mid-air, I miscalculated the landing, and the soft, rain-soaked snow beneath gave way.”
Despite the huge crash, the Canadian felt good enough to continue down the mountain.
“Miraculously, after flipping down the mountain I stood up gathered my things, and skied to the finish,” he explained.
The video he shared of the crash is attached here.
View this post on Instagram
It took until the next day for Mahler to get his diagnosis. After spending time in the trauma centre, he was deemed well enough to fly and made his way back home. If the broken vertebrae had pushed on his spinal cord, it could have made for much more serious consequences. As it stands right now, he’s hopeful for a complete recovery.
“I wear a neck brace 24/7, hoping for a natural fusion over the next months to avoid surgery,” the athlete explained as he continues his recovery process back in Canada. “Grateful for being alive and sharing this story, my hope is for continuous improvements in safety protocols within our sport.”
Mahler was born near Canmore, Alberta, and some career highlights include two first-place finishes at the FIS World Cup in 2019 and 2022.