Durango residents have rallied to support 16-year-old Cyrus Lewis and his family after the teen suffered a skiing accident that has left him without mobility in his arms and legs.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has raised more than $180,000 to assist with Cyrus’ medical bills in the two weeks since the accident.
“We are very grateful that we live in a town and a community where people show up for moments like this,” said Cyrus’ father, Don Lewis.
Cyrus’ skiing accident happened while he was home from the Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs for Thanksgiving break, which he attends on scholarship.
On Nov. 22, Cyrus and some friends hiked to Velocity Basin near Silverton Mountain ski area to find good snow to ski.
“At some point, they moved deeper into the woods where they found some residual fresh snow, and they built a jump,” Don Lewis said.
After a couple of his friends pulled off backflips on their snowboards, Cyrus tried a backflip on his skis.
“He went for the jump, and basically didn’t have enough speed to generate the necessary momentum to complete it,” Lewis said. “And unfortunately, there really was only 5 or 6 inches of snow below, which was just dirt.”
Lewis said Cyrus almost made it all the way around, but clipped the tips of his skis, which plowed him forward into the ground.
“I saw the footage and certainly feel that if it had happened during the regular season with a normal base, that it was the type of fall I would have expected him to recover from fine,” Lewis said.
Silverton Mountain used its helicopter to flew Cyrus to Mercy Regional Medical Center where he was met by his parents and then flown to Children’s Hospital in Denver.
Cyrus broke the C5 vertebrae in his neck. He is currently paralyzed from his upper torso down, but has limited movement in his arms, hands and fingers.
“As I lay in my hospital bed, unable to move my legs, while people help to feed, bathe and do all the basic and routine things I used to do, I have been faced with the possibility that I may never walk again,” said Cyrus in a text message to The Durango Herald. “I have also heard many inspiring stories about people, who through hard work and a positive mindset, have accomplished rare and miraculous recoveries.”
Two weeks after the accident and three surgeries later, Cyrus is stable and was moved Tuesday morning from Denver Children’s Hospital to Craig Hospital in Denver. Craig Hospital specializes in spinal cord injury rehabilitation and research.
“It has been a hard fought battle to find the balance between acceptance and hope,” Cyrus said. “Through a difficult and emotional conversation with my mom, I have come to the understanding that I have to accept my current circumstances and condition, in the present moment, while not demolishing the hope for a miracle in the future.”
Cyrus has lived an active lifestyle, enjoying hiking, rafting and rock climbing, among other recreational activities. When Cyrus was 11, he hiked 150 miles through the Himalayas. This summer he went rafting through the Grand Canyon.
“He’s had a lot of incredible life experiences,” Lewis said.
Cyrus has kept positive through the ordeal, saying the accident has changed but not lessened him.
“I believe that everyone has the potential to reach something great in their life, if they work hard enough,” Cyrus said. “This injury has changed my potential. Changed, not lessened.”
Lewis said his son’s positivity stems from a generally positive outlook on life that Cyrus has always maintained.
“He’s accepting that this has happened. There was obviously an incredible amount of grief in the first several days,” Lewis said. “I think he’s aware that he can still have an incredible life. ... He’s had an incredible life and so I don’t believe that there’s any reason his life should not continue to be incredible.”
Before Cyrus’ surgery, his family asked people to light candles for him and send in pictures. Cyrus received more than 400 pictures of candles being lit to support him through surgery.
Lewis said the support that his family has received from the community has been “beautiful.”
“I think when you experience great tragedy you can see a lot of beauty and a lot of grace,” Lewis said. “It’s definitely been one of the most beautiful and tragic experiences that I’ve ever participated in. ... As tragic as it is, this event has restored my experience of the human community and the Durango community in a deep and potent way.”
njohnson@durangoherald.com
An earlier version of this story misidentified the flight team used to fly Cyrus Lewis to Mercy Regional Medical Center. The Herald was given incorrect information.
