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 167 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).
Through September 2017, the High Fives Foundation has approved, $444,673.84 in 114 board-approved grants to 73 individuals across 23 states (including the 2017 Military to the Mountains Program) and the sponsorship of two adaptive sport teams.
In September 2017, the High Fives Foundation experienced its’ largest grant cycle in the young organization’s history, granting $110,578.89 to 22 individuals and the sponsorship of a wheelchair rugby team in Reno, NV and one sled hockey team in Central Vermont. Two of these individuals reside on the East Coast.
Meet the September 2017 East Coast Athletes;
Ryan St. Lawrence | Nashua, NH
Ryan broke his back during a fall while riding with friends at the Highland Mountain Bike Park in New Hampshire. The fall resulted in a T4 and high C vertebrae fractures leaving him paralyzed from the upper stomach down.
Ryan is dedicated to getting back on his feet in some capacity. Mountain biking was and will always be his passion, and in August 2017, Ryan was able to get back out on a bike for the first time following his injury, see video here. Ryan will ALWAYS continue to strive for an active lifestyle!
Ryan is currently working on his recovery at Project Walk, right outside of Boston, and he wouldn’t have gotten back out on his bike without the grant High Fives provided for training at Project Walk.
After 50 years of downhill skiing, and 25 years of raising his kids to ski and snowboard, David lost control on some black ice and hit a tree at full speed. He doesn’t remember the actual impact, just hitting the ice before and then laying on the slope after with a femur fracture, head wound, compound fracture of his right tibia/fibula and a spinal cord injury.
What followed has been an amazing journey through medical treatment, rehabilitation therapy and the support of an incredible family and community.
The goal of David’s recovery is to continue to be the best version of himself, and to continue his love of skiing and sports with his family. Every day David is met with an optimistic family, therapists and community members who continue to provide encouragement of his dreams. He would like to use the strength and muscle tone that he still has to accomplish good in the world and to enjoy an active lifestyle.
High Fives provided in September 2017, Continued training at Project Walk
