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…