An 18-year-old University of Georgia freshman is starting a challenging journey to recovery after a serious ski accident in Colorado left him with a traumatic brain injury and multiple fractures. Ayden Slipsager, originally from DeKalb County, was injured on December 17 and has been in a Denver hospital since the harrowing incident.
Slipsager's mother, Tami Slipsager, shared the details of the accident and her son's condition in an interview obtained by WALB. She recounted the terrifying moment she learned about Ayden's condition, "It was scary. He wasn’t awake, tubes and braces and intubated and I wasn’t even sure he was in there... the worst day of my life," she said. "A mother should never get the call that I got." Ayden's injuries include a fractured skull, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a broken collarbone.
According to a FOX 5 Atlanta report, the accident occurred on an ungroomed section of the slopes, and despite the severity of his injuries, Slipsager felt "blessed to be alive." He expressed gratitude and optimism from his hospital bed: "I’m feeling pretty good. Could be worse. Definitely feel like there's room for improvement, but right now I'm about as good as I can be." His urgency to return to his life as student and be with friends showed his resilience and determination.
Before the event, Tami had even reached out to her son with her concerns about the icy conditions, cautioning him to take care in messages. She said, "I said, ‘Ayden, I really want you to take some lessons before you go back out.’ I literally said in the text message, ‘I don’t want you to kill yourself,’" she told WALB. Evidently, the family's priority is now facilitating Ayden's transfer back to Atlanta for rehabilitation at the Shepherd Center in Buckhead.
The cost of medical flight for Ayden’s transfer could surpass $100,000, with the family appealing to the community for support. Tami believes in her son's ability to achieve his goals, describing Ayden as a star student and athlete with a 3.9 GPA in his first semester, and sees recovery as a path back to the dreams he harbors. Those willing to help can find more information on supporting Ayden’s journey on resources provided by FOX 5 Atlanta.
