Traumatic Injury Leads to New Life Focus

Former professional snowboarder Kevin Pearce gave a presentation to the Westminster community Oct. 28 about the incredible challenges he has faced since suffering a traumatic brain injury while training for the trials for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The accident happened Dec. 31, 2009, while he was attempting a Cab double cork in the halfpipe in Park City, Utah.
 

Kevin began his talk in the Werner Centennial Center by showing video clips from “The Crash Reel,” an HBO documentary that chronicles his rise to the top in snowboarding, his injury and his “comeback story.” He then spoke about his passion for snowboarding, his rivalry with Shaun White and his lengthy recovery process. “I had to come to grips with a new life,” he said. “It is not about what happens, it is about how you deal with it.” He also talked about his very supportive family saying, “It is amazing what my family did for me.”
 

Today, Kevin spends time on the “Love Your Brain” campaign that focuses on brain injury prevention, rehabilitation and brain health. The Kevin Pearce Fund was established in partnership with the Vermont Community Foundation to help fund organizations that support families who face the types of challenges the Pearces experienced while helping Kevin during his recovery after his near-fatal accident.

Kevin advised the students in the audience to “play the sports that you love but be safe” and to “take the time to rest.” He said that despite the lengthy time it took him to accept that he could no longer compete in snowboarding, he is now “living my life and loving it” and that “it is O.K. that I am different now.”
 

After answering a number of questions from the audience, he closed by saying, “I was focused on winning the Olympics and it was all about me. Now it is about helping. I feel a real purpose to help and give back.”