For all of you who are wondering what happened to the person in the blue Pathfinder headed up to Purgatory on Jan 21, I just wanted to let you know that I am relatively OK.
I have a broken sternum, lots of colorful bruises and many sore muscles. My 1989 metallic blue Pathfinder gave its life to protect me.
Luckily, no one else was in the car with me and miraculously no one else was injured.
I want to thank all the well-wishers as they passed by the accident. I hope that you made the most of the powder day that I missed. And while my snowboarding season is over for this year, I feel fortunate to be able to look forward to that powder day next year.
I feel so lucky to be here with my family as I make my way toward a full recovery. I especially want to thank all the heroes that touched my life that day:
Shauna, thanks for lending me your coat to keep warm and staying by my side while we waited for help.
Thanks, Steve, for expertly driving the ambulance safely to the hospital.
Chelsea, thanks for guiding me through my tears and pain. I felt like I was in the safest place in the world by your side.
To the firefighters who pulled me out of the car, thank you.
To the nurses and doctors at Mercy, thank you for making sure I was OK and getting me ready to return to my family.
Thanks to my Escalante family for reaching out with love, hope and great food.
For my kids, I am so thankful to still be a part of your lives. To my wife, who is helping me to process and heal, I love you.
Durango is truly a community of heroes.
Jeffrey Strider Fitzpatrick
Durango
Editor’s Note: Jeffrey Strider Fritzpatrick teaches social studies at Escalante Middle School.
