Meet our 8 Central #HighFivesAthletes who received grant funding in January 2019

Daniel Soller from Grand Junction, CO, Athlete #231, Thomas Cloyd from Minneapolis, MN, Athlete #235, Quinn Brett from Estes Park, CO, Athlete #186, Justin Pines from Englewood, CO, Athlete #104, Allyson Mallory from Englewood, CO, Athlete #149, Nate White from Carbondale, CO, Athlete #145, Adam Lavender from Carbondale, CO, Athlete #117 and Rosa Malloy-Post from Durango, CO, Athlete #163

Daniel Soller | Grand Junction, CO | Athlete #231

In October 2018, Dan was mountain biking at Crested Butte’s ski resort, the Evolution Bike Park. It was closing day and he was just fun riding with one of his good buddy’s, when he accidentally hit a tree. The resulting tree impact broke/fractured Dan’s T5 and T6 vertebrae instantly. He was lucky to not suffer any other injuries.

Two days after the crash, Dan had surgery in a Grand Junction medical facility. The surgeons fused his spine from T2-T9. Dan is currently designated a complete injury in the spinal world, but he didn’t sever his spinal cord.

Mountain biking has always been a huge part of Daniel’s life. “Break bikes and not yourself,” is the credo that him and his riding buddies lived by.

Daniel received a financial grant from the High Fives Foundation for a gym membership at FIT Grand Junction and dry needling at Direct Access PT. Daniel is sure to be back out on the trails ripping as soon as he’s able to.

Thomas Cloyd | Minneapolis, MN | Athlete #235

On July 7th 2012, Thomas Cloyd dove off a friend’s pontoon boat on a small lake in Northern Wisconsin when he hit his head on a tree stump on a sand bar. The impact shattered his C5 vertebrae into his spinal cord. Thomas was immediately paralyzed.

The effect on Thomas’ function is pretty typical of a c5 – paralyzed below the chest, no finger function or wrist extension but he does have full wrist flexion, which is what allows him to live independently and use a manual chair.

Thomas recently moved to the Bay Area of California, and received a grant for ski lessons from Achieve Tahoe at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows. He’s beyond excited to get back out in the mountains and rediscover his passion for sliding on snow.

Quinn Brett | Estes Park, CO | Athlete #186

Quinn took a 120 foot fall off of the Boot Flake on El Capitan. She cratered into Texas Flake and eventually landed in the space between El Cap and Texas Flake. Her rope never came tight. The impact shattered Quinn’s right scapula, broke 4 ribs, burst fractured her T12 vertebrae, and caused a small fracture to her L4 vertabrae. There was also resulting fluid on her lungs, a laceration to the back of her head, but somehow Quinn was still breathing and still able to use her over active brain!

The High Fives Foundation has been in touch with Quinn since her climbing injury at El Capitan. Most recently, the organization provided Quinn a January 2019 grant for PT sessions and electrical stimulation shorts from AxioBionics. Quinn has experienced recovery gains in, and is excited to work the shorts into her recovery plan.

Justin Pines | Englewood, CO | Athlete #104

Justin was injured skiing in the trees at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows. He lost control in poor conditions and hit a tree, breaking his spine at T4/T5, resulting in complete paralysis at T6.

Since his injury, Justin has joined the High Fives on multiple adaptive camps and gotten back to skiing and surfing. One year after his injury he was able to visit the Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows Ski Patrol that saved his life. Justin always has a smile on his face and makes the best out of every situation. He is the model High Fives Athlete.

The High Fives Foundation provided Justin with a January grant for accommodations and ski lessons at Crested Butte, CO and Winter Park, CO so he can progress in the sport that he loves.

Allyson Mallory | Englewood, CO | Athlete #149

On December 23, 2016, Allyson was snowboarding at Area 51, Keystone’s snowboard park. After hitting an A frame rail, she set herself up to hit another feature which had two ramps connected by a rail. She hit the ramp too with too much speed sending her into a backflip about 10 feet from the feature. Allyson landed directly on her back. The instant she hit the ground, she knew she was paralyzed. After the personnel at St. Anthony’s took MRIs and scans, this was confirmed with a dislocated spine and break at T12. Additionally, she had a broken rib. Allyson’s surgeon initially told her upon seeing the X-rays that she had severed my spinal cord, but once she had surgery to fuse four of my vertebrae, the doctor saw that my spinal cord was in fact not severed.

In the January 2019 grant cycle, High Fives Foundation granted Allyson funds to be used toward adaptive ski lessons with accommodations, dry needling sessions and a remote start for her car, which she was particularly excited about.

“That electric start is going to be a game changer,“ said Allyson with a smile.

The lessons in Crested Butte will help progress her skiing, and the remote start will help her combat the brisk Colorado temperatures.

Nate White | Carbondale, CO | Athlete #145

On June, 25 2016, Nate was kayaking on Daisy Creek outside of Crested Butte, Colorado. It was a run that he was pretty familiar with, having previously lived in Crested Butte after college. The water was a bit lower than optimal and Nate was pushed off line a bit and hit a rock in the landing zone, suffering a burst fracture of L2, leaving his paralyzed. After extraction, Nate was sent to Swedish Medical Center in Denver where he had two major surgeries, including a fusion from T12-L4. Nate spent 8 weeks rehabbing at Craig Hospital and has since returned to work as a teacher at the Colorado Rocky Mountain School in Carbondale, Colorado.

Nate has been an Athlete of the High Fives Foundation since shortly after his 2016 injury. He has made tremendous gains, not only from High Fives support, but from the skilled therapists at Craig Hospital as well.

Nate received funds in the January High Fives grant cycle for massage and acupuncture sessions so that he can continue progressing in his recovery.

Nate is a teacher in Carbondale, CO, and is a tremendous advocate for the High Fives Foundation.

Adam Lavender | Carbondale, CO | Athlete #117

Adam Lavender sustained a fall while building and riding the mountain bike slopestyle course at the Freeride Mountain Bike Tour Ranchstyle event in 2012. The vertical impact caused Adam’s C4 vertebrae to burst leaving him an incomplete quadriplegic from the neck down.

Adam has received a number of grants from the High Fives Foundation to assist in his recovery and overall quality of life. In April 2018, Adam was granted funds to be used toward and adjustable bed so that he was able to sleep with his wife again.

Adam has most recently found that neurofunctional rehabilitation has really helped in his recovery. High Fives provided him with a January grant for $6,700 to continue treatments at Ripple Effect in Carbondale, CO.

Rosa Malloy-Post | Durango, CO | Athlete #163

Rosa was injured in a rock climbing fall while leading. She was immediately transported to a local trauma center where she was told she had suffered a thoracic spinal cord injury from the fall.

Rosa is a very accomplished skier, and couldn’t come with a higher recommendation from ski racer and High Fives Athlete Alana Nichols. She’s a great representative of the organization.

The January 2019 High Fives grant cycle financially supported Rosa with an electric power assist for her ReActive Adaptations mountain bike so that she can continue to enjoy her outdoor endeavors year round.

Meet the 20 Empowerment Grant, JANUARY 2019 #HighFivesAthletes

CANADIAN EMPOWERMENT GRANTS FUNDED

EAST COAST EMPOWERMENT GRANTS FUNDED

WEST COAST EMPOWERMENT GRANTS FUNDED

CENTRAL EMPOWERMENT GRANTS FUNDED

The High Fives Foundation supports injured outdoor 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 235 Athletes from 32 states in nine respective funding categories: Living expenses, insurance, travel, health, healing network, adaptive equipment, winter equipment, programs and “stoke” (positive energy, outlook and attitude).