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March, 2024

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Broken Neck

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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
Ay NS!

So I broke my neck yesterday, unfortunately, by running into the ocean and diving into the sand where it was much too shallow. Fortunately, I've not paralyzed myself and after a surgery this week I'll be on the road to recovery. If all goes well, I could be back skiing mellow groomers by February and hopefully I'll have opportunity this coming season to put out some media (edits and photography).

I'm thankful for the luck that I've had in this injury and I'm stoked to be back on skis eventually to send it big into deep powder.

Thanks NS!

Gavin


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Jul 7 2013 6:32PM
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Olimar
Posts: 3535 - Karma: 4,076
well that sucks... full story on how exactly you broke your neck?
Jul 7 2013 6:35PM
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SterlingArcher
Posts: 2200 - Karma: 2,456
Shitty luck, but atleast you're not paralyzed.. + vibes
Jul 7 2013 6:36PM
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LoathesRaisins
Posts: 3612 - Karma: 4,735
Damn, good thing you weren't paralyzed. Get well soon.
Jul 7 2013 6:41PM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
Sure. I'll get a picture later, too.

I'm currently in Boston, MA at the hospital, but the accident happened in Provincetown on the tip of Cape Cod. I've been going to Provincetown with my family for 7 years and we stay in a rental, so it's basically a home away from home, I'm very familiar with everything. My family was going to the beach at about half tide or lower (the bay beach where we were going is only about 40 feet from our house). My mom left for the beach and I put sunscreen on. I basically just ran out across the beach and misread the slope and height of the tide (really, really stupid mistake) and ran into the water past my mom until I was about knee deep and dove forward. I thought that the beach continued to slope downward but it leveled out so I basically dove into 3 foot deep water and rammed straight into the top of my head. I jumped up very quickly and grabbed my neck and shouted that it hurted to my mom. She ran out and helped me the 10 or so feet back to the shore and I sat/laid on a beach chair while we waited for the ambulance. At this point I wasn't sure if I just hurt my neck on impact or it was more dire than that. We got an ambulance to Hyannis (45 minutes away) and we got a CAT scan and MRI. Unfortunately, I had a small fracture on my 5th cervical vertebrae in my neck and the ligaments around there were torn pretty well. From there we got another ambulance to a hospital in Boston where I am currently so I can have a surgery tomorrow or Tuesday to fuse the 4th and 5th vertebrae together.

It was a dumb decision and it's going to have its consequences, but I'm so thankful and lucky to not have any paralysis.
Jul 7 2013 6:50PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,398
cracked my c6/c7 once, I know that feel
Jul 7 2013 7:00PM
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90053
Posts: 2565 - Karma: 3,728
get better soon bro
Jul 7 2013 7:12PM
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Chubz.
Posts: 13918 - Karma: 25,656
Damn thats shitty. Right when summer takes off too. Fuck that sucks man. Glad you're okay from that though! Hope the surgery goes well and you make a quick recovery!
Jul 7 2013 7:18PM
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Laurent.
Posts: 10054 - Karma: 25,277
You are lucky not to be paralyzed, we had four identical cases to yours (al diving incidents) at my first response unit in the past year or so and they al met a much worser fate.

On the bright side, now you have more time for drawing. ; )
Jul 7 2013 7:21PM
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DIX~
Posts: 4695 - Karma: 6,502
Did you scorpion? Heal up quick
Jul 7 2013 8:05PM
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Mr.Sloth
Posts: 5091 - Karma: 13,469
Damn dude, all things considered youre pretty lucky you can have a full recovery
Jul 7 2013 8:12PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
Tough go man. Just a crazy mistake I guess...But vibes and thanks for all the help! Can we expect some mad Eric Pollard-esuqe paint/draw therapy from you during the healing process?
Jul 7 2013 8:14PM
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Spagett+
Posts: 3499 - Karma: 14,884
that's awful. hope you recover fully.
Jul 7 2013 8:27PM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
Yes I am so very grateful and thankful that stuff is so positive!
Jul 7 2013 8:34PM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
Thy shall be done
Jul 7 2013 8:34PM
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Olimar
Posts: 3535 - Karma: 4,076
damn. thank god nothing worse happened. I was cliff diving the other day at a pretty popular spot and we were trying to get my friends girlfriend to jump off the highest cliff there which was probably like 20-25 ft. and she asked how badly she could get hurt and this other guy that was up there just sorta jumped in a told us a story about a kid that did a flip off the same cliff a year ago and never came back up. He said they found his body about 16 days later 14 ft. under the water in the rocks. Apparently he landed wrong and broke his neck. Needless to say she didnt jump off that cliff.
Jul 8 2013 12:17AM
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danderson.
Posts: 6560 - Karma: 5,252
Glad to hear you're not gonna be paralyzed. I wish you luck on the road to recovery. You'll still have plenty of time to get some good skiing in in February so keep that smile on your face.
Jul 8 2013 12:21AM
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LoathesRaisins
Posts: 3612 - Karma: 4,735
Who the fuck waited 16 days to report him missing?
Jul 8 2013 12:22AM
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idskithat
Posts: 1314 - Karma: 154
my freind broke his neck in the ocean too, he was body surfing and the wave picked himup and slammed him intothe ground. he just played alot of guitar hero and got super good
Jul 8 2013 12:49AM
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Olimar
Posts: 3535 - Karma: 4,076
I think it just took that long to find his body...
Jul 8 2013 1:06AM
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B.Aussie
Posts: 5851 - Karma: 4,522
I know how you feel I fractured c4,c5,c6 and c7 yesterday. Shit sucks. Feel free to pm if you need to vent. Hope your surgery goes well.
Jul 8 2013 1:48AM
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KennyD
Posts: 264 - Karma: 537
I didn't break my neck (thankfully), but got pretty bad whiplash body surfing at Virginia Beach last summer. I never really knew how dangerous that can be.

And for OP, I wish you a speedy recovery man
Jul 8 2013 1:55AM
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gusestomp
Posts: 1377 - Karma: 746
Damn OP, goodluck with that. + vibes for sure.
Jul 8 2013 2:18AM
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Steezy_P
Posts: 3069 - Karma: 2,350
Really sorry to hear that Gavin! Wishing you a speedy recovery, and stoked that you've not paralyzed yourself! Take it easy man!
Jul 8 2013 2:24AM
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feihlination
Posts: 8356 - Karma: 1,084
woah thats bad luck. hope everything is ok after recovery.

but you did one heck of a nose dive haha. you said you were running in knee deep water and jumped into 3ft deep water.

i mean like everyone does this shit when going into the water, but rarely will someone go straight down.

a similar thing happened on our what you americans would call spring break party after graduating in turkey. one guy from another school (on the first day, nonetheless) thought it would be a good idea to dive head first into a part of the swimming pool which was MAX knee deep. maybe even less. dude wasnt allowed to go swimming the rest of the week, smashed out two front teeth and had this hilarious tape on his upperlip. i bet he had to tell tis story 200 times.
Jul 8 2013 5:22AM
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BoogieWoman
Posts: 408 - Karma: 664
Vibes to you OP! C-spine injuries aren't to be taken lightly, brilliant to hear you're gonna be OK. Hope your surgery goes well, keep smiling! Love your face in that pic.
Jul 8 2013 6:26AM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
Many thanks to all for the good wishes. Surgery is later today so next time I'm online I'll be post-op! Stoked! Happy to be alive and well!
Jul 8 2013 10:44AM
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2_fadez
Posts: 7780 - Karma: 4,180
i assume you are at mass general?
Jul 8 2013 10:55AM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
Brigham and Women's
Jul 8 2013 10:58AM
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B.Aussie
Posts: 5851 - Karma: 4,522
sorry drunk, meant last year not yesterday.
Jul 8 2013 10:59AM
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2_fadez
Posts: 7780 - Karma: 4,180
dude i was about to be fucking astounded if you did that again. that'd be horrible


and good luck today OP
Jul 8 2013 11:01AM
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homestar
Posts: 2124 - Karma: 4,197
Hehe for a second I was really impressed that you were already back and posting on NS a day later.
Jul 8 2013 11:03AM
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timmi
Posts: 12874 - Karma: 3,460
I was gunna say! Bout damn time to wrap you in bubble wrap and leave you in an empty room.
Jul 8 2013 11:23AM
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Logey.
Posts: 2996 - Karma: 457
Hyannis as in hi anus?
Jul 8 2013 1:07PM
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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,295
I'm really glad to hear you're ok and will fully recover. As you know I love your work and am happy you'll be putting out content in the future. Best of luck dude.
Jul 8 2013 1:11PM
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CashmereCat
Posts: 2211 - Karma: 2,394
Vibes man, and Provincetown is beautiful
Jul 8 2013 2:16PM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
Got out of surgery a little while ago, doing great, feeling great, but part of that is probably the drugs lol.
Jul 8 2013 10:07PM
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CheddarJack
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 7,380
Good to hear man! Best of luck to you for your recovery.

I'm sure you know but the best part about recovering from injuries is that you have so much time for art. 2 winters ago I was out of commission (broken dominant wrist/arm then knee meniscus surgery) from November 7th until March so I was able to get so much better with my artistic abilities. Seeing what you're capable of now, I would be excited if I were you to see how you progress over the next months.
Jul 8 2013 10:19PM
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Phil-X-
Posts: 7205 - Karma: 14,399
The life long swimmer/polo player in me and my lifeguarding background makes me want to yell and cringe at you, but accidents happen and its much to late for any of that. Im sorry that happend and I really hope you get better soon.
Next time hopefully you know to go out, not down.

You got lucky as spinal diving injuries are extremely intense. A fellow swimmer in my district (who also had been swimming his whole life) dove in shallow end and is now wheelchair bound for life, remember people- Experience never overrules risk. This was a state level swimmer who has been diving in to pools his entire life, accidents happen but can be avoided
Jul 8 2013 10:21PM
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Wheaty214
Posts: 1687 - Karma: 841
My friend Joe did that too, but he didn't break anything, just stretched the ligaments connecting the vertebrae. I guess the one that was the worst controls the diaphragm so if he would have hit just a little harder he could have suffocated. He's supposed to be wearing his neck brace for a few weeks but he's the not the smartest person I've ever met. I've played volleyball with him and he went cliff diving a week after it happened.
Jul 8 2013 11:28PM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
So many times this has crossed my mind. It was an unbelievably stupid mistake and just so dumb of me to assume that the water was deep enough for a dive. I'm paying for it, too, but luckily not with my life or my limbs.
Jul 9 2013 10:22AM
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mmallender.
Posts: 5805 - Karma: 936
bodies, both dead and living will sink until the body begins to decompose and bloat. if he jumped in, hit his head, caught his foot, or something along those lines, drowned and continued floating downstream with the current, no it is not at all surprising that it took so long to find him.


on a lighter note. good luck with your recovery op. that is gnarly, glad to hear youre ok
Jul 9 2013 3:07PM
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