CRESTED BUTTE, COLO. RESIDENT TO RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM TAHOE-BASED 501C3 HIGH FIVES FOUNDATION FOLLOWING LIFE-ALTERING INJURY
The High Fives Foundation is awarding 46-year-old Sean Crossen an Empowerment Grant for $3,900 in financial aid during recovery from a life-altering injury sustained while skiing in Crested Butte, Colo. The Empowerment Grant will allow Crossen to focus on his recovery, and not worry about living costs.
In February 2017, Crossen was backcountry skiing on a peak about eight miles from Crested Butte, Colo. When he started skiing down the couloir, about 10 turns into the chute he heard a loud cracking sound, and the snow started to avalanche around him. Crossen tried to get out of the slide, but he was pulled by the avalanche nearly 1,500 feet down the chute. The fall resulted in a broken nose, orbital bone, left ribs, right fibula, an open compound fracture of the right elbow, the right shoulder, a concussion and a pulmonary contusion and hypothermia.
Immediately following his injury, Crossen reached out to the High Fives Foundation, and in April he received a financial grant for $3,900 to be used toward two months of mortgage payments. This grant will help alleviate the financial burden of living costs so that Crossen’s sole focus is recovery.
“This grant will help me stay in my house during this important recovery time,” said Crossen. “It will help me to get the brace to help my arm get motion back so that I can once again provide for my amazing family.”
The High Fives Foundation supports injured mountain action sports athletes through grant funding to be used towards reaching their recovery goals. Since the Foundation’s January 2009 inception, the Empowerment program service has assisted 156 athletes from 31 states in nine respective funding categories which include: living expenses, insurance, travel, health, healing network, adaptive equipment, winter equipment, programs and “stoke” (positive energy, outlook and attitude).
