An Incredible Day with Anthony
by Kathy Copeland
Kathy Copeland and Anthony Choy discuss his day
Anthony called Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra numerous times to bug them for a reservation to go skiing. To date this proud adaptive organization had never said "no" to anybody…they'd always found a way to accommodate all the different disabilities out on the snow.
But Anthony was different….much different from their other students. He has a C2 quadriplegic spinal cord injury ~ similar to Christopher Reeve ~ and he uses a ventilator to breathe for him....to keep him alive....like Christopher did.
The DSES office trembled with fear and anticipation just thinking about what could happen during this lesson…while eagerly looking forward to figuring out all the obstacles to make it happen! Both Rick Terrell (a retired paramedic) and Dr. Karch said "go for it, cover your bases and go for it!"
Brent Salzman and E.L. Smoogen with the ventilator set-up
that E.L. designed
So EL Smoogen (a DSES volunteer of the year) designed and fabricated a set-up to carry the ventilator on the back of the bi-ski and then a rig to hang the breathing apparatus from the back of the chairlift while on route to the top of the lift.
DSES enlisted the help of their strongest volunteers. They also were fortunate to have Mark Miculicich, head of the Mono County Paramedics, on hand to oversee the 'production' and help out with any medical emergencies.
At 8AM ....a good hour and a half early, Anthony rolled into the hallway of Disabled Sports....too excited to wait any longer. Anthony's car accident was 14 years ago and he had never done anything like this since he became paralyzed from the neck down. But this had always been his dream.
Kathy Copeland, Zach Ergish, E.L. Smoogen, Rick Dodson
and Mark Miculicich get Anthony set up in a bi-ski
WOW! The volunteers stared at Anthony....he was BIG....230 pounds to take skiing....plus the 25 pound bi-ski plus the 25 pound ventilator....oh and now they find out the ventilator's battery only lasts for half an hour!
After much customizing and adjusting, Anthony and his entourage of 9 assistants are ready to roll. His respiration nurse, Jesse, has to ride up the lift with him in case of an emergency…and since Jesse doesn't ski, he will follow the procession down the ski run on a snowmobile to be ready at a moment's notice.
Jesse, Maggie Palchak, Anthony, E.L. Smoogen, Brent Salzman,
Zach Ergish and Mark Miculicich ready to hit the slopes
The fabulous Discovery Chairlift operators headed up by supervisor Paige had already been alerted to the special circumstances of this lesson. They did a full stop to load and unload this very special cargo, Anthony, EL and Jesse.
E.L. Smoogen and Anthony making a run
Kathy Copeland and Cara Leonard, staff at DSES, watched anxiously from the sidelines with Sandi, Anthony's mom. With EL at the helm, Anthony swooshed down Sesame Street West so fast we missed getting him in the camera lens in time to take pictures!! One run was going to exceed the director, Kathy Copeland's expectations....she was hopeful this spectacular event was going to be pulled off.
E.L. Smoogen and Anthony making a turn
After a quick change of ventilators at the bottom, Anthony smiled and eagerly said "let's do it again!" So the posse made two more runs, polishing the loading and unloading techniques each time. It was quite a spectacle…definitely the most challenging lesson Disabled Sports has ever undertaken.
And at the end....Anthony, with pink cheeks, was so thrilled by the whole exhilarating experience that he was glowing! As a generous thank you, he decided to buy the adaptive program a new bi-ski....purple to match his electric wheelchair. He told his new friends at Disabled Sports to be waiting for his next trip to Mammoth to tear up the slopes!
E.L. Smoogen, Maggie Palchak, Jesse, Anthony
and Rick Dodson get ready for a ride
E.L. Smoogen and Anthony had a great day
Rick Dodson, Kathy Copeland, Cara Leonard, Jesse, Marlin Geib, Brent Salzman, EL Smoogen, Zach Ergish and Maggie Palchak
were Anthony's crew