Injured adventure photographer receives continued support from California’s High Fives Foundation towards full recovery
Jim Harris has progressed from wheelchair to walking with hiking poles to unassisted mobility since 2014 injury
The High Fives Foundation is awarding Jim Harris an Empowerment Grant to aid in recovery from a traumatic spinal cord injury. The board-approved Grant will afford Harris the opportunity to receive important personal training and physical therapy treatments.
Jim was involved in a ski-flying accident in November, 2014 causing fractures in his T7/8 and C2/3 vertebrae. The accident left Jim paralyzed at the T6 level. Through hard work at Craig Hospital in Colo., Jim has started to regain mobility. His long-term goal is to return to the sports he loves, and he is well on his way to achieving this goal.
“From a functional standpoint, my life has already returned to something like normalcy” said 34-year-old Harris. “I can walk unassisted, though I have a pretty dramatic limp, shaky balance, and not much endurance. I can ride a bike and even ski again. From this point, my goals start getting more recreation-oriented.”
“We’ve been part of Jim’s recovery since it happened,” said Roy Tuscany, High Fives Foundation Executive Director. “We’ve watched him come so far. This is the kind of recovery we hope for every High Fives Athlete. We’re so proud of him.
In the month of May alone, the High Fives Foundation granted $37,186 to 11 High Fives Athletes.
