JIM HARRIS | #HIGHFIVESATHLETE TO RECEIVE GRANT FUNDING

High Fives Athlete Jim Harris receives $6,600 Empowerment Grant to continue rehabilitation at CR Johnson Healing Center in Truckee, Calif.

Empowerment Grant will provide Harris sessions of personal training, physical therapy, acupuncture, massage, Active Release Techniques and Neuro Kinetic Pilates

#HighFivesAthlete Jim Harris & #HighFivesAthlete Bond Camp | Photo Courtesy Erica Segerberg
#HighFivesAthlete Jim Harris & #HighFivesAthlete Bond Camp | Photo Courtesy Erica Segerberg

In November 2014, Jim Harris’ life changed dramatically following a ski accident in Punta Arenas, Chile. The crash found him with a back injury in an unfamiliar hospital in the South American country. Harris took a 19-hour flight to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center where he underwent a surgery to stabilize the fractures in his back. He remained there for a month before transferring to the world renown spinal center at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colo. Harris had fractured four vertebrae and was partially paralyzed from the chest down.

#HighFivesAthlete Jim Harris going the distance | Photo Courtesy Mary Pat Harris
#HighFivesAthlete Jim Harris going the distance | Photo Courtesy Mary Pat Harris

7-months later and his recovery has exceeded the expectations of doctors, friends and family, but not his own. His hard work and focused determination have brought him from wheelchair to standing-walker, and now he ambulates using only the minimal support of hiking poles. His walking gate, though slightly slower than prior to the injury, is improving by the day, thanks especially to a culmination of rehabilitative therapies. The High Fives Foundation has provided support for those therapies since his injury in November.

Harris working out at Craig Hospital | Photo Courtesy Mary Pat Harris
Harris working out at Craig Hospital | Photo Courtesy Mary Pat Harris

This June, Harris walked on his own through the doors of Craig Hospital and has relocated to Lake Tahoe, Calif. where he is able to continue his rigorous recovery schedule at the CR Johnson Healing Center. The Healing Center is CR is a 2,400 sq/ft training facility providing resources for athletes in recovery from life-altering and sport related injuries. It shares a space with the office of the High Fives Foundation and is home to various healers practicing a spectrum of wellness and strength-building techniques — all which will benefit Jim Harris’ recovery.

#HighFivesAthlete Jim Harris | Photo Courtesy Mary Pat Harris
#HighFivesAthlete Jim Harris | Photo Courtesy Mary Pat Harris

“It is incredible to have Jim utilizing all of the components of the CR,” said Roy Tuscany, High Fives Foundation Executive Director. “Jim has dedicated his summer to three months of intensive therapy at the facility.”

Paddle board yoga on Donner Lake w/ the High Fives Foundation | Photo Courtesy High Fives
Paddle board yoga on Donner Lake w/ the High Fives Foundation | Photo Courtesy High Fives

This June Board-approved Empowerment Grant for Jim Harris will provide him one-on-one personal training with local trainers Chris Cloyd of the JM Performance Gym and Jack Powell (known as #JackTheTrainer). He will also receive acupuncture from Vitality Primary Care, Active Release Techniques from Shawn Griser of Active Motion Therapy, massage from renowned Truckee-based massage therapist Karen Stubbs and physical therapy with Synergy Therapeutics.


Since the High Fives Foundation’s January 2009 inception, the Empowerment program service has assisted 85 athletes from 20 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).

In 2015, the High Fives Foundation set a budget of disbursing $266,000 via board-approved grants through the Empowerment Fund. Since January 2015, 26 High Fives Athletes and two organizations have been awarded 40 board-approved grants totaling  $211,393.

In the month of June the High Fives Foundation disbursed $30,194 in board-approved grants to nine athletes.

June Empowerment Athletes: 
Jamie Crane-Mauzy from Salt Lake City, Utah.
Bond Camp from Breckenridge, Colo.
Megan Wemmer from Boulder, Colo.
Nick Fairall from Andover, N.H.
Kevin Cheung from San Francisco, Calif.
Mike Schwarz from Chester, VT.
Jim Harris from Salt Lake City, Utah
Aaron Baker from Northridge, Calif.
Josh Dueck from Vernon, British Columbia.

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