This is a commercial featuring Kevin Pearce, watch it before reading... He suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2009 preparing for the Olympics. He's healing has been faster than expected, but he still has a lot of work to do... I've followed his story in the media and on Facebook... The recent death of freestyle skier Sarah Burke had me wondering about Kevin's progress. Burke crashed on the same pipe as Kevin and was in the same hospital as Kevin... Looks like he is riding again, great news.
As a Mother I think about his Mom and how she is managing the fear I'm sure she has... She was quoted as saying, "I'm just very proud of him for waiting as long as he has," said his mother Pia. "I don't fully understand the feeling he gets when he snowboards, but it must be a feeling of freedom and happiness and well-being." He is lucky he to have parents that understand how this dangerous sport is so essential to his well being.
I admire them for their passion and commitment... I've seen the pipes and jumps they ride in. My knees get weak looking at the jumps, but the freedom they must feel I believe is immeasurable. These two stories also reminds me how much I want to give Presley the freedom and confidence to follow her life's passion... The best way to give her that is by example, the saying "reasons or results" comes to mind.
(Read more about Kevin Pearce's recovery: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/more/12/30/Kevin-Pearce-recovery/index.html#ixzz1kJj3NX15)