Cody Walker- Local Hero

Cody Walker  Courtesy Lori Walker

I remember some 15 years ago skiing on old Black Diamond Eclipse tele skis one late Spring afternoon on High Rustler, Alta, Utah. The day was beautiful, slushy snow, clear blue skies and great company. The mountains were full of energy that day charging both Cody and I as we shared turns down the northwesterly face. Cody has always been a snowboarder; a snowboarder that loves the alpine air and freedom that only the hills provide. He was all but family, always hanging around with his friend Lori, my sister in law. A few years later he would marry Lori and today share two wonderful kids together, with one on the way. Cody is the epitome of quiet mastery.  He silently smiles in all of his life's activities, even as a pharmacist in a white coat in the same room everyday. He is gentle but intensely in love with life.

Powder skiing is more than just skiing. It is a chance for each of us to make our own mark on a mountain covered in white. It affords us the opportunity to look down with excitement while just moments later to turn around and check our turns each and every inch of the way. Life has a way of providing the same thing, although some of the turns can be much less enjoyable.  Last Friday, my friend, brother in the family and example of fortitude and patience, Cody Walker took one of those turns.

Snowboarding with his close friends in Northstar at Tahoe, Cody while coming into a landing from off a jump he had already hit several times, lit in such a way that he broke his pelvis in four places on each side. If that weren't enough. He didn't even feel the pelvis fracturing because he whiplashed crushing the vertebrae in his neck causing him to lose all feeling and movement of his body.

After a lengthy neck surgery fusing verterbrae, and two pelvic surgeries Cody lies on his back in a Reno Hospital, with his sweetheart by his side, reliving in his mind the accident, his life and love for everything in it. Cody will recover. It will take time, prayers, effort from us all but he will. The trials he faces are foreign to me. But if there is one thing I know about Cody, it is the fact that of anyone who has faced challenges in life, Cody knows how to suffer through it and with that special smile will accomplish his goal.

Like doing laps on a great powder day, someone has to break trail setting the skin track up. Cody will do just that as he now focuses on the challenging climb back. Only this time he'll be skiing! Our prayers and thoughts are with you and your little family my friend!

Cody's good friend put a website up where folks can go, learn more about his recovery and provide support. Aren't friends wonderful? Here's the link. https://www.supportcody.com/
Here's a story on his accident as well. http://www.ksl.com/?sid=24319071&nid=1010

Cody Walker Courtesy Lori Walker