Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham landed the world’s first double backflip on a wheelchair on August 26, 2010. Ironically on my birthday, he is a High Fiver for sure. Check out his website: http://www.aaronfotheringham.com/
Posts Tagged ‘high fives’
Power of Positive Thinking: World’s First Double Backflip in a Wheelchair
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010Donate to CRJ Memorial Fund: $20+ includes Powder Subscription and CRJ Heart of Lion T-Shirt
Friday, August 27th, 2010
CRJ "Heart of a Lion" T-shirt and Powder Magazine Subscription
Make a donation of $20 or more to the High Fives Foundation: CRJ Memorial Fund and receive a 1-year subscription to Powder Magazine and a CRJ “Heart of a Lion” T-shirt.
Thank you, Tahoe Whitewater Tours (SundayFunday is Back)
Monday, August 23rd, 2010
The start of an epic 3-hour tour
Today the crew of High Fivers consisted of Adam Baillargeon, Alice Baldwin, Nick Baron, Riley the Dog, T.Gov, Roy Tuscany, and visting from the East Coast, the newest member to the foundation, Adam Mahoney. Tyler (T.Gov) arranged to take us down the Truckee River and was an amazing host. Making sure to protect the needs that my handicable body requires, if you are looking for a great trip down the Truckee, look no farther than Tahoe Whitewater Tours.
Adam B. and Nicky B. Showing the River how to High Five
It is always a pleasure to wake up in Tahoe to see the blue skies to conquer the day ahead. Second time I have been white water rafting since the injury, there is nothing that I can not do as long as I have the correct people to support me. High Fives is a community of support that always surrounds those that have fallen to rise again. Continue to wake up everyday with the goal of high fiving the sky.
High Five after the JAWS
“High fives are at an all time High” (Mos Def)
Monday, August 2nd, 2010Bruce Carrade of Alpine Meadows dropped this quote from Mos Def into my E-mail box today, couldn’t agree with it anymore than right now. You can also download one of the best mixtapes, Mos Dub featuring Mos Def at www.mosdub.com
BIG NEWS: High Fives has been nominated as one of the top (4) non-profits in Tahoe, now we need to win.
Please take a minute to vote;
www.sierrasun.com/bestof
Other Favorites of High Fives that are nominated: Arne Backstrom, CR Johnson, Moody’s, Full Belly Deli, Clear Capital to name a few
Follow the Recovery of Rebecca “Becca” Babicz
Sunday, July 25th, 2010http://acl-rehabilitation.blogspot.com/
- Photo Credit: Kevin O’Hara www.kevinoharaphotography.com
Becca Babicz representing at TRAINS2010
High Fives will continue to update the progression of Becca’s recovery. Becca is also a Smith Optics and Helmets athlete that I sponsor in the winter, so this recovery has double importance to me. Continue to push the positive throttle towards healing
“I want to rise above and bring everyone along with me, for this walk is better with people”
Monday, May 31st, 2010
In the words of the late Pat Tillman “I want to rise above and bring everyone along with me”
That is my journey with High Fives and I add to the quote, “for this walk is better with people”
On this memorial day,  I find myself reading a book that truly symbolizes this day, Where Men Men Glory. It quickly has become a book that I find myself reading at any given time  and has inspired me to find reason behind the diary entry that Tillman left  on October 25th the night before he graduated from his “Turning Blue” ceremony (Army graduation to Infantryman status).
“I want to rise above and bring everyone along with me”
My father served this country for 20+ years thru the Army and Air National Guard, he even went thru college as ROTC cadet. He loved everything there is with the armed services, it was the true brotherhood of this country. I bought him this book so we could be reading it at the same time so I could truly understand the military while reading a book about the government media propaganda surrounding the death of Pat Tillman,
Growing up, my dad was my hero because I thought he was a member of G.I.Joe fighting the evil Cobra in far off lands but he actually  in countries building schools, churches, re-establishing structure, and repairing runways. He was not killing people and making up war stories for media propaganda, he was helping others to rebuild HOPE. Building a larger community through the strength of the ones that want to help the most, this is my father in a nutshell, always wanting to help those in need of help or direction.
On this memorial day, I salute all that serve this country. Much Love, and you are all true High Fivers. My father, retired Lt. Col. Alec G. Tuscany was commander of 158th CE division of the Green Mountain Boys, you Dad are a true hero. Â He has secretly been showing the basics of Philanthropy thru his role with the VT Air National Guard and continuing my positive mindset of what this country does.
Patrick Benoit, US Navy MP MA1 High Five to my cousin as well…….Continue to protect the betterment of men
ORAGE WEBSITE: Trains 2010 by High Fives
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010Orage Website: Trains 2010 by High Fives
http://www.orage.com/blog/view/465
Thank you Steve Herrick, Mike Nick, Michelle Parker and everyone at Orage!
Brennan Update: BO is Killing it!!!
Thursday, May 6th, 20105/5/10 words by Sean Hartel
Brennan has been in the ICU at Renown Medical Center for 36 days. Finally, he is planned to be dismissed from the unit tomorrow and moved to the Neuro wing of the hospital. He is no longer in critical condition and his recovery to this point has been an absolute miracle!
His bone flap was put back on a few days ago, he is off the ventilator, he can walk, talk, read, write, and even has his personality and great sense of humor intact. It is mind blowing to look back a month ago when he was in a coma and the doctors weren’t sure if he would live. Brennan still has quite a ways to go, but his progress has consistently been faster and further than the norm. Let me reiterate that… He went from being the worst patient on this unit by far, to the best in a month. With the severity of his initial injury, his recovery to this point has been mind blowingly, beat-the-odds-one-to-a-million, super freak unusually outstanding. One of his nurses told us yesterday that in his ten years working in this ICU, he has never seen an outcome this positive from such a traumatic brain injury.
Today was his best day yet. Mentally, it was like he was totally normal. He was teasing me, checking himself out in the mirror to make sure his good looks were untainted, laughing and smiling. He checked his bank account (remembering his account number), looked at the news on yahoo, and read his facebook page. Then we wheeled him outside the hospital for the first time to spend some time with his dog, Sid.
Bo and Sid
I’ve been with him almost every day here since the injury. But when I hung out with him today, it was clear that I was witnessing the biggest miracle of my lifetime.
Here’s the plan going forward… Brennan will probably be moved down to Neuro tomorrow and get some prime real estate in one of the better rooms. It will be a big change going from the ICU to a place where there is 7 or 8 patients for every nurse. The only hook-ups he still has are some extra oxygen to assist his breathing, and a feeding tube. He will get another swallow evaluation soon to see if he’s ready to eat and drink. After a week or so in Neuro, he will get a medical transport back east to a TBI rehabilitation facility in either New Hampshire or Boston. You’ll probably see him back in Tahoe in the next few months finishing up PT.
BO is killing it!
Thank again to everyone for your support, prayers, and positive vibes sent Brennan’s way! Especially to Roy and the High Fives Foundation, the Johnson Family, all of Brennan’s close friends who have been visiting and helping out so much, and to his family for kicking ass and being so strong!
Trent Palmer: Drops an amazing edit for TRAINS 2010
Tuesday, May 4th, 2010
an update on Brennan: words by Sean Hartel
Saturday, May 1st, 2010Brennan has been here for a month now and he has taken some huge leaps forward in the last few days. On Tuesday they took him off the respirator for the first time to do a trial run. Many patients can only handle short runs off the vent for the first few days, but Brennan pulled through with a 10 hour leg. The mainly put him back on it so he could sleep better that night. Despite the plan, he didn’t sleep too much. He actually went about two days with only a few hours of short naps. He finally slept well Thursday night so today was another big day. He has been off the vent all day and will stay off through the night, and hopefully remain off for good!
Thumb's Up
This morning he walked around his room a bit and tomorrow he will leave his room for the first time for some laps around the ICU! Hopefully he’ll be ready for his first venture outside in a few days where he can see his dog, Sid, for the first time.
They also put the air passage valve on his trach this morning and allowed him to talk for a while. This was my favorite part. I’ve been waiting the last month and finally got to have some conversation with him today! Most of his focus was on the ice though… After not being able to eat or drink anything for a month straight, you can’t imagine how thirsty he has been. It seems like he asks us for a drink every ten minutes of every day. Well when they put the valve on him this morning the nurse gave him the best treat he’s probably had in his entire life, a cup of crushed ice! If we let him have the cup, he would have dumped the whole thing in his mouth. So she fed him small spoon full’s, using it as a motivator to talk, gag, couch, and swallow. As soon as he would finish a bite of ice, he’d politely ask for another… and another, and another. When asked, “Now that you can finally talk, is there anything you’d like to say to your mom?” He replied, “More ice please?” After the cup of ice, we talked for a bit and had him read out loud one of the cards his friends made for him.
Tomorrow the speech therapist will visit with him to work on a few things. One of them is how to swallow properly so he can have a real drink. The swelling in his brain has gone down almost completely so there is also talk of him getting his bone flap put back on in the next week or so. He had last chest tube taken out today as well and is now completely off Versed, which was one of his main drugs and the amnesiac. He’s getting so on point now that he even asked a few minutes before 6pm if we were leaving soon. This meant he remembered the schedule and was aware of the situation. We get kicked out every day from 6-8:30 for a shift change.
I think that’s all the big changes at this point. I can’t tell you all how pumped I am to see my best friend coming through this so swiftly and quickly! It’s an incredible life changing experience for all of us. Thanks for all the support and keep the good vibes coming this way!