Miracles on a Mountainside
U.S. Marine Corps veteran Ryan Garza
In May 2022, Airman 1st Class Lauren Arduser (U.S. Air Force) was in a severe car accident that left all four limbs paralyzed and her neck broken; on Tuesday she’s going to fly down the slopes of Snowmass in a bi-ski for the first time.
While her language skills and cognitive abilities weren’t affected, military doctors put her in a medically induced coma for several weeks and didn’t expect her to survive. She was originally told she would never walk again.
Fast forward to today, Lauren now rehabs three hours/day, five days/week at the St. Louis VA Medical Center. With the help of her therapists, she has already walked, and now she’s going to try skiing at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic (https://wintersportsclinic.org).
The Winter Sports Clinic, co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Disabled American Veterans (DAV), is one of six specialized rehabilitation events which aim to optimize veterans’ independence, community engagement, well-being, and quality of life. The programs are built on clinical expertise within VA, with essential support from Veteran Service Organizations, corporate sponsors, individual donors, and community partners.
So, who participates in the Winter Sports Clinic? Veterans from throughout the United States with profound disabilities: traumatic brain injuries, visually impaired, quadriplegics, paraplegics, and just about every disability you can imagine.
“The Winter Sports Clinic is a premier and unparalleled adaptive sports event that provides outstanding support for veterans to face and overcome challenges as part of a multi-faceted rehabilitation program,” physical therapist Kendra Betz, Winter Sports Clinic Seating and Prosthetics Coordinator, shared with me recently. “Our goal is to optimize veteran participation, well-being, and quality of life, as they earn the catchphrase, ‘Miracles on a Mountainside,’ here in Snowmass every year.”
Local U.S. Marine Corps veteran Ryan Garza is scheduled to participate in his second Winter Sports Clinic, after snowboarding last year for the first time. Garza suffered his life-changing injury when his seven-ton truck rolled over an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province in 2011. He didn’t deal with his condition very well and turned into an alcoholic and suffered from depression. Doctors tried for years to save his right leg; however, had to amputate in 2015. Garza, who receives his care at the PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom VA Clinic in Colorado Springs, shared with our team last year, “I never thought I would be able to snowboard. You feel the wind, you hear the ice…oh man, it gets me excited. It’s an awesome feeling!” This year, Ryan hopes to do on one leg what he never knew how to do on two, likely moving from the beginner (green) slopes to blue squares!
Chris Werhane is the Sports Lead at national nonprofit Adaptive Adventures and serves as the Safety Coordinator on the mountain during the Winter Sports Clinic every year. He, along with 500 other volunteers that it takes to run the clinic, embodies the passion of those who have the privilege to help in any capacity. “I realize that we’ve changed this person’s life – we’ve changed this family’s life – and, yes you feel good about that. But where’s the next person I can change?”
I’m humbled to agree with Chris. Of the 52 weeks I serve veterans each year in my job at the VA, this annual week in the Spring is most definitely the highlight of my service. Inspiration isn’t even an adequate word to describe the attitude, resilience, and courage these veterans embody.
Thanks for allowing me to walk alongside you behind friendly lines.
Victory!
