High Fives Provides me with My Access- Justin Pines

High Fives Provides me with My Access- Justin Pines


Access To My” is a 5 part video-series that allows High Fives to show donors and partners the direct impact and life-changing value that their support has on the High Fives Athletes and their families

High Fives Provides me, Justin Pines, Access to my Athletic Pursuit


ac·cess
/ˈakˌses/

The best hair around..

HIGH FIVES IS PROUD TO BE THERE TO WITNESS AND PROVIDE THE HELP AND SUPPORT FOR OUR ATHLETES TO DO THINGS THAT THEY MAY HAVE NOT THOUGHT WERE EVER POSSIBLE. 

SEEING AN ATHLETE GO THROUGH A LIFE-CHANGING INJURY AND HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT WHETHER THEY WILL BE ABLE TO PURSUE THEIR PASSIONS AND DREAMS IS TOUGH BUT SEEING THEM COME UP WITH IDEAS AND CREATE GOALS THAT GO TOWARDS A BIGGER PICTURE OF LIFELONG DREAMS IS ALWAYS INCREDIBLE. 

THIS IS HOW HIGH FIVES HAS HELPED OUR GREAT FRIEND AND ATHLETE JUSTIN PINES ACHIEVE ACCESS TO HIS ATHLETIC PURSUITS.

THROUGHOUT HIS ENTIRE LIFE, JUSTIN HAS BEEN AN ATHLETE. HE WAS A TRACK STAR DURING HIS HIGH SCHOOL DAYS AND COMPETED IN MANY DIFFERENT EVENTS. IN ADDITION TO TRACK EVENTS, HE HAD A PASSION FOR SKIING, BIKING, ANYTHING THAT WOULD GET HIM OUTDOORS. 

WHILE SKIING AT SQUAW VALLEY IN 2016, JUSTIN TOOK AN UNFORTUNATE FALL AND HIT A TREE. THE COLLISION CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO JUSTIN. HE LEARNED SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT HE HAD SUSTAINED A SPINAL CORD INJURY AT THE T4 LEVEL, LEAVING THE YOUNG MAN PARALYZED FROM THE CHEST DOWN.

JUSTIN WAS FLOWN TO CRAIG HOSPITAL WHERE HE HAD SURGERY TO STABILIZE HIS DAMAGED VERTEBRAE. AFTER A BRIEF TIME TO RECOVER FROM THE OPERATION, JUSTIN BEGAN THE REHABILITATION PROCESS. 

LIKE ANYTHING IN JUSTIN’S LIFE WHETHER EASY OR HARD, GOOD OR BAD, HE PUSHED THROUGH. HE FOUND PIECES OF INDEPENDENCE EACH DAY AS HE LEARNED MORE ABOUT HIS NEW LIFE IN A WHEELCHAIR. AFTER REHABILITATION WAS COMPLETE AND JUSTIN WAS AT THE POINT WHERE HE COULD LIVE INDEPENDENTLY, THE FOCUS CHANGED. EVERY DAY WASN’T ABOUT HOW TO LIVE IN A WHEELCHAIR: IT BECAME ABOUT HOW TO FIND ENJOYMENT AND DO WHAT HE LOVED WHILE IN A WHEELCHAIR. 

ROY MET WITH JUSTIN WHILE HE WAS STILL ATTENDING CRAIG HOSPITAL AND TOLD HIM THAT HIGH FIVES FOUNDATION WAS THERE FOR HIM AND WHATEVER HE WISHED TO DO, HIGH FIVES WOULD HELP HIM. HE TOOK ROY AT HIS WORD. SHORTLY AFTER THE INITIAL MEETING, JUSTIN BECAME A FIXTURE AT HIGH FIVES CAMPS. JUSTIN CAME SURFING WITH HIGH FIVES AND ONCE THE HARDWARE INSTALLED IN HIS BACK WAS ALL HEALED UP, HE CAME ON A SKI CAMP WHERE HE RETURNED TO THE MOUNTAIN IN A SIT-SKI. WATCHING JUSTIN RETURN TO SOMETHING HAD LOVED SO MUCH LEFT EVERYONE WITH TEARS OF JOY IN THEIR EYES. 

SINCE THE DAY IN APRIL 2016 THAT JUSTIN’S LIFE CHANGED FOREVER, HE HAS GROWN AND PROVED THAT SO MUCH IS POSSIBLE. THE ABILITY TO COMPETE IN ATHLETICS WAS BRIEFLY TAKEN AWAY, BUT HE FOUND A WAY TO RETURN. 

WE HAVE WITNESSED JUSTIN COMPETE IN WHEELCHAIR MARATHONS, LEARN TO SIT-SKI, SURF AND SO MUCH MORE. HIGH FIVES IS SO HAPPY TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP PROVIDE RESOURCES, HOPE, COMMUNITY, AND SUPPORT TO GIVE JUSTIN HIS ACCESS TO ATHLETIC PURSUITS.

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