A Breckenridge snowboarder once known for chasing big-air contests is now fighting for a spot in a rehabilitation hospital after a ski-lift fall left him partially paralyzed, with dozens of broken bones and a leg amputated below the knee. Silas “Sy” Moran hopes to be admitted to Craig Rehabilitation Hospital in Englewood by December, a milestone he has described as the potential start of a new life.
According to KDVR, Moran fell from a California ski-area lift chair in April after suffering a seizure. The fall left him with a traumatic brain injury, four broken bones near his spine, and a total of 33 broken bones. Doctors amputated his lower left leg to save his life, and he is now partially paralyzed from the waist down, the station reports.
From Big-Air Contests to Coaching
Moran, who is from Breckenridge, transitioned from competitive riding to coaching young athletes in 2024, per the same account. He has said he is eager to enter Craig Rehabilitation Hospital and hopes to resume coaching once his rehabilitation is complete. Moran has said he lives by the words “here to inspire.”
The station's report also notes that Moran had been preparing for additional surgery at a private rehabilitation center in west Denver earlier this year, and that his family established a GoFundMe to help cover medical bills.
An Earlier Injury on the Slopes
Moran's history with serious injury predates this year's accident. A Summit Daily profile described him as a 20-year-old Breckenridge snowboarder who tore his ACL and partially tore his meniscus after landing awkwardly during a big-air contest in New Zealand. That account differs from the more recent report, which lists Moran's age as 30 — a discrepancy the available records do not resolve.
Summit Daily reported that Moran returned home for surgery, with a doctor repairing the damage by the end of August. He began physical therapy immediately, working with trainer Chris Knott in Colorado Springs, and at the time hoped to return to snow within about six months of the injury. The outlet also noted that Moran picked up snowboarding at age 12 after a family trip to Copper Mountain. It is not established in the available records whether that earlier knee injury is connected to the paralysis Moran now lives with.
A New Goal: Getting Into Craig
For now, Moran's focus is on securing a place at Craig Rehabilitation Hospital, the Englewood facility he has said could mark the beginning of a new chapter. Whether he reaches that goal by December remains to be seen, but those who have followed his path from a 12-year-old at Copper Mountain to a coach guiding young athletes say his determination has not wavered.
