A year ago this week . . . .

I smashed into the North Side of Point of the Mountain, Utah after messing up an acro trick, resulting in 2 broken legs, a broken back, and shoulder. The speed with which I hit was great, and if it wasn't for hitting my legs first, I wouldn't have survived. Other acro guys with similar accidents - and even less severe ones! - are no longer here. For a reason I've only figured out recently . . . . I'm still alive.

Really, I should be dead.

Now look, I'm not going to write a survivor's story. It's not like I ran into a burning building, saved an entire family and their dog, and suffered 3rd degree burns all over my body for my efforts. I'm an acro pilot and what happened comes with the territory. While I hope it never happens again, there's a chance it easily could. I'm still doing acro at Mussel Rock and I accept all the risks that come with it. If I have another accident, I only have myself to blame.

That said, no matter what the cause, accidents happen. While it can happen to anyone at any time, not every one will experience it. For those who have, what becomes crucially important is how we choose to react to what's happened. As the platitude goes . . . . it's times like these when we find out what we're made of.

Well, I don't know exactly what I'm made of, but all I know is that I was lucky enough to not experience any brain damage. So, I had the opportunity each and every day to choose how I'd react to what was going on which, most of the time, wasn't very fun. (Won't go into detail, but let's just say that I'm very happy that I can pee on my own!) As I said in a recent interview for Cross Country magazine, the absolute key to my recovery was choosing to be positive every day and doing things to continually improve my situation. I felt this was the only way to hasten my recovery, to appreciate the help from the nurses & rehab staff at Intermountain Health who took daily care of me, and to honor my friends and family who were keeping me in their thoughts.

As I think back to this time last year, what comes up is how my recovery at the hospital was the most difficult experience of my life. What made it easier was knowing that many people in the paragliding community (in the US and from my acro buddies in Europe) were rooting for me, especially some of those in the Bay Area Paragliding Association who had generously donated to help with my medical bills . . . . thank you so much.

The reason I'm writing today isn't to recognize how far I've come; rather, I want to publicly thank a few people who helped me the most at the darkest time of my life. Without them, I wouldn't have made it through as well as I did:

Adam Porcino & Misti Timpson - they were my PTs at IMC and re-taught me how to walk. The most triumphant moments in my life were with them - standing up for the first time, walking 6ft, then 10, then 25, then 50, then 100 . . . . and walking those f*ing stairs! You guys pushed me every day even when I used to drop the f-bomb on you . . . . it's because of your commitment and belief in me back then that I made it and was able to accomplish what I've done in paragliding in 2010. Thank you for giving me my life back.

Irene Smith - she was the nurse in charge of my recovery program. Each morning I asked who was going to be my nurse and was always delighted when Irene was assigned to me. She was always pleasant and one of the main reasons why I remained positive every day - she and her staff deserved nothing less. I hope you enjoyed taking care of me as much as I loved being taken care of by you.

Sabrina Krewin - we started dating about a month before the accident and then broke-up in November. She was there on the mountain right after I crashed and saw my broken body - filleted legs and all. I remember telling her, since we had just started dating, that if she wanted out, it was okay with me as something like this would be too much for ANYONE to deal with. But, she stuck by me and not a day went by that I didn't see her. Even though we didn't work out, Sabrina, I want you to know that I wouldn't have made through without you. In our short time together, I hope you felt loved, cherished, and respected.

Loren Cox - he and I started flying at Mussel Rock right around the same time in 2005, and have been good friends ever since. Even though he had suffered his own accident a few months before me and was still in crunches and a back brace, Loren took care of many things for me, especially in my first week in the hospital. He was not only there for my most painful and most triumphant moments in my recovery, but was also there when I learned to paraglide and got into acro - at my darkest moment (my accident) and my greatest (making the first American Infinite Tumble). I consider you a brother, Loren, and will be always be there for you whenever you need me . . . . always.

Vendie Dasalla - that's my mom. While we're not super close, I learned so much more about her when she came out to stay with me for a month at the Point after I was discharged from the hospital and convalesced at a friend's. It must've been very hard for her to see her son so broken when I was in the hospital, and I can only hope she feels proud of me since I've made my way back. She's never seen me do acro in-person (maybe never will) and will probably never understand exactly what I do up there. But to her credit, she has never discouraged me from doing what I love even though it could easily kill me. Forgive me if I can't say this to your face, but I want you to know, Mom, that I love you very much and you are the greatest woman ever known to me. If I can be half the person you are, I will have lived a life fulfilled.

I said earlier in this post that it was only recently that I figured out why I survived when I shouldn't have. In fact, I view my accident as sort of an inflection point, a moment that marked where one life ended and another one began, bringing me to the last person I want to acknowledge . . . .

Jinju Schroy - she and I just met in early August 2010 at, of all places, Mighty - the club I frequent once a month with the guys. I NEVER meet anyone of any significance at a club, but when I learned that she and her best friend went to Mussel Rock that day to "check out a local beach" (they were visiting from Denver), I was obviously floored and knew I had to learn more about her. (For those who don't know . . . . NO ONE goes to Mussel Rock except paragliders, locals walking their dogs, fishermen, or high school kids smoking weed . . . . tourists would NEVER go there!) I believe things happen for a reason and felt it couldn't have been simple coincidence when I turned to her and said, "So . . . . I heard you're from Denver." The Universe was definitely at work. Well, as it turns out, Jinju and I were meant to meet that night and even though we live in different cities, we are now emotionally inseparable.

Before the accident, I never really saw myself being a husband and a father. While in the hospital, realizing how short life is (I know . . . . another platitude), that obviously changed. Friends have told me that when you meet the right one, time doesn't matter, and that "The One" is The One regardless if you met 10 days or 10 years ago. Geez . . . . were they right!

Jinju, you are the greatest love I've ever known. I feel truly lucky to have met you and I can't imagine my life without you. I see my 2nd life with you as husband, father, lover, partner, soulmate, and best friend. You are, without a doubt in my head, heart, or soul . . . . the reason I survived my accident. I love you more than you'll ever know.

Okay, I'm done.

Thanks for taking time to read my post, guys - hope it wasn't too sappy! But, I'm allowed to be emotional once and a while, right? In closing, I've attached a video I took of myself a week after the accident. I meant to send it out back then to thank everyone for their well wishes, but for some reason, didn't. Only 2 people have seen this before so maybe it's right I show it now . . . .

To living life to its fullest with no regrets,
Nova