Distinctly Montana Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.distinctlymontana.com/i/1479010
w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 15 "Nobody was holding his c-spine. I didn't know much but I knew the c-spine was important, so I held it in a neutral po- sition, keeping his airway open." Chris stayed there and took control of the situation until paramedics and firefighters ar- rived at the scene. He helped the first responders load the man into the ambulance and probably saved his life. Chris was a firefighter/EMT in Livingston for many years. The ex- perience and skills he learned as a first responder would ul- timately save his own life. Everyone in Livingston, Montana, knows Chris. He raised two boys there, was a firefighter/EMT, and later became an electrician. When the town heard about his accident, the whole community came together to help, just as Chris had helped so many of them. Every year, in January or February, paragliders descend on Mexico to fly the thermals. One year, Chris joined a group of them, and someone proposed they extend their trip to Ha- waii. Their plan was to paraglide right to the beach in front of the house in which they were staying, but the winds were too much. He was equipped with new wings and new lines (the "corvette of wings," he says), but says they were "pretty squirrely," and he discovered they had two tension knots. He decided that he should descend and fix the knots, but as he turned to the landing zone, half of his wing collapsed and he began to spiral, before colliding with a building at between 40 and 50 mph. He says he bounced back "about 20 feet." The collision broke both of his ankles, his left eye sock- et and his back. He was rushed to the hospital, the impact crushed his body, causing toxins to be released into his system. He was told had he not been in such exceptional condition he adds, "I'd been training for a marathon before the trip,"—the toxins would have probably overwhelmed his system and killed him. After recuperating enough to be able to travel, he went to a hospital in Boise, where it was discovered he had a bone infection, and then to Australia, where a doctor performed surgery using recalled parts. Finally, his legs were amputat- ed below the knee. CHRIS' STORY TENDS TO MAKE THOSE WHO HEAR IT WANT TO BE A BETTER, STRONGER PERSON.