“All of a sudden, I had two-thirds of my body that weren't working anymore. I had to figure out how to live my life and how to move my body around, who I was and what I was going do with my life in a way that was, I thought at the time, completely changed. Now, I don't think I'm completely changed. I think I'm exactly the same person. I just do things a little bit differently.”

Kelly Brush grew up in a family of skiers, excelled on the slopes from childhood, and eventually achieved her dream of skiing in college at Middlebury College. But during her sophomore year, when she was competing at the Williams College Carnival, an accident caused a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed.

Recovery wasn’t easy, but Kelly’s resilience carried her through. With support from her family (including her then-boyfriend, now-husband Zeke), her teammates and coaches, and many others, she realized she was still an athlete—and that now, she might even be able to make an even bigger difference.

Through the Kelly Brush Foundation, which she founded and is now on the board of, she aims to support others with similar injuries, advocating for the significant role of adaptive sports in recovery and quality of life. The foundation offers camps, grants, and an online program called the Active Project that helps introduce others to the freedom she found on the slopes and trails.

Resources/links:

• Kelly’s Instagram
• The Kelly Brush Foundation website and Instagram
• The Active Project, which links adaptive organizations and athletes

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DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational & informational use only and & does not constitute medical advice. Do not disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have heard in an episode of this podcast. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified medical professional for proper evaluation & treatment. Guests who speak on this podcast express their own opinions, experiences, and conclusions, and The Injured Athletes Club podcast hosts nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular treatment option discussed in the episodes of this podcast and are not responsible for any actions or inactions of listeners based on the information presented. The use of any information provided is solely at your own risk.