17-year-old Little Rock skier aided by California-based High Fives Foundation towards spinal cord injury recovery
Georgiana Burnside awarded for training at PEAK Center and specialized massage sessions at Swedish Medical Institute in Colorado
17-year-old Georgiana Burnside was injured in a ski accident at Snowmass Resort in Aspen Colorado last spring. She hit a patch of ice, misdirecting her off a large drop on the side of the trail and fell 50 feet following her crash, causing T12/L1 spinal cord injury.
Upon landing on her back, Burnside realized she could not move her legs. She was flown directly to Craig Hospital where she underwent surgery to repair her spine. A YouTube movie depicts her one year living with her injury (featured below).
Burnside’s goal is to become independent again, and live the typical life of a young adult. She is moving to Denver to focus solely on her recovery goals.
“High Fives gives me hope — hope that felt unattainable after my injury,” says Burnside. “This Foundation provides a community of resilient people who are there to encourage you and support you on your road to recovery. I am thankful to be a part of such an awesome group.”
“Just the other day, I received a video of Georgina walking unassisted at the Peak Center,” says Roy Tuscany, Executive Director of High Fives Foundation. “Each stride she takes in the video shows the positive impact that her personal training sessions are providing to her recovery.”
In the month of May alone, the High Fives Foundation granted $37,186 to 11 High Fives Athletes.
