Nine months ago, Corynn Cassidy, a 3-event skier,  graduate of University of Illinois, and serious competitor, suffered a serious slalom accident that almost took her hand. Practicing at her home site, running a pass that she has run hundreds of times, the unimaginable happened. Through many surgeries, physical therapy, and support from her friends and family,Cory is on the recovery track and continues to get stronger each day.

Quick history of your skiing career. When you started skiing, first tournament, family involvement, college skiing, etc.

My mom and her family grew up skiing recreationally. As a teen, my mom was introduced to competitive skiing and fell in love. Skiing became a part of my life as soon as I was born. My first experience behind the boat was a ski ride in my mom’s arms, as a baby. The first time I skied independently was on trainer skis, slightly before my 2^nd birthday. By the age of 6, I was slalom skiing and starting to figure out the course, and I was trick skiing and learning basic tricks. At 7 years old, I tried the jump, and I competed in my first tournament. When I was 9 years old, I qualified for my first Nationals and placed in 3^rd overall. Within the girls’ divisions, I proved to be a tough competitor, and I placed in state, regional, and national tournaments. In college, I skied competitively at the University of Illinois. I won numerous tournaments, broke a couple records in our region, qualified for All-Stars every year, and got voted “Most Valuable Skier”.

Can you explain what happened in your accident? 

On July 10, 2010, I was practicing slalom, as usual, at my lake in South Wilmington, IL. I ran 2 passes before moving onto ’28 ft off, 34 mph. My first 2 attempts at -28’ were unsuccessful, and uncharacteristic of me, since I was typically running -28’ from the boat.  I gave myself a third and final shot, hoping to redeem myself, but I was worn out and couldn’t get all 6 buoys. I turned around #5 in bad shape and decided to be done skiing.  Then, I noticed a lot of slack in the line that was sure to jolt my body if I continued holding on to the handle when the line became tight. Since I was done, there was no need to hold on, so I threw the handle before the line’s slack tightened. I glided on my ski after I let go, towards the center of the course, while the boat drove through the rest of the course, dragging my rope in its path. The trailing handle hadn’t passed me yet, and it approached as I began to sink into the water. When I was waist deep, the handle bounced off the water next to me and wrapped itself once around my wrist. So quickly the rope tightened around my arm, and the boat’s incredible force yanked my body in tow. I instantly accelerated from 0 to 34 mph. I was dragged underwater for a couple hundred feet, until the boat crew realized something was wrong.

I was helped onto the boat platform and brought to shore. Ambulances were immediately called. The ambulances were taking too long to find me, so I was loaded into a car. My uncle, my mom, and dad rushed me to the hospital in Morris, IL. It didn’t take long for Morris hospital to realize my injury was beyond their abilities. They ordered helicopters from Peoria and Chicago to transfer me to a better facility. Peoria’s helicopter arrived first, and I was flown to Peoria’s Order of St. Francis Medical Center. The flight was about 30 minutes. I went immediately into surgery upon arrival.

You were in a lot of pain after you accident, what do you remember about the first couple days?

I remember the whole incident. I remember the fright, panic, and pain I felt. I remember my brother comforting and calming me on the way to shore. On shore, I remember a crowd reacting with fright and offering help. I remember many family members rushing to my side with worry and love in their eyes. My parents attempted to provide comfort and care in a state of panic. I remember wishing my boyfriend, who was at a ski tournament, was by my side.

At first, in the water, my arm was tingling, and from my shoulder to my hand, I didn’t feel pain. But, when I got on the boat, the tingling was replaced by intense pain, worse than any pain I had ever felt. I panicked. I knew something was very wrong. From that moment until I was put under anesthesia in Peoria, I suffered through pain that was about as bad as you could imagine. At the first hospital, they could not give me enough medication to ease any pain. On the helicopter, I could not get any medication, and the ride seemed like forever. When we arrived in Peoria, I remember being grateful that I was being put to sleep for surgery. The next few days are a blur.

I remember only bits and pieces of the ICU. I remember doctors telling my parents and me that my hand only had a 50% chance of making it. However, I didn’t really absorb the severity of the statement in that moment. I remember the morning after my first surgery when doctors couldn’t find a pulse in my hand. They said it was a bad sign, and I was taken right back into surgery.

I remember hallucinating in the beginning of my hospital stay, because of the high levels of drugs in my body. I remember how hard it was to keep my eyes open, and that I slept almost constantly. I remember visitors coming in and out, but I don’t remember who everyone was. I remember the excitement for my first meal after 4 days. I remember my nurses and doctors, my family’s support, my boyfriend’s love, and the intense pain that overtook me every time I awoke.

How many surgeries have you gone through?

4 so far (3 during my initial hospital stay in July, 1 in Oct.)

 7/10/10- emergency surgery

• Sewed both torn arteries (radial & ulnar) back together 
• Fixated my shattered radius with an external fixator
• Fasciotomies were performed on my hand and arm to relieve the intense pressure from swelling

7/11/10- emergency surgery

• The reattached arteries were stretched, cutting off blood flow to my hand again, so 8 in. of artery was extracted from my lower leg
• 4 inches became part of my radial artery & 4 inches became part of my ulnar
  

7/ 21/10

• the fasciotomies were sutured
• a skin graft was used to close the long incision down my arm, from palm to almost elbow
• crushed radial head was pinned

10/22/10

• a nerve was transferred from my leg to my arm
• my distal ulnar, which was still broken, was dead and crumbling and needed to be removed
• opponensplasty- an extra tendon in my index finger was attached to my thumb, to help oppose my thumb
• my stretched finger tendons were tightened

What is the prognosis of your current state? Movement of your fingers, muscle strength?

I’m still in therapy 2-3x a week, and I continue to make progress. I can open and close my fingers, but I can’t make a full fist, and I can’t fully open my hand. I can’t spread my fingers apart or do any intricate movements using the smaller muscles in my hand, but I don’t need those skills much. I can grab and pick up lightweight objects. My grip strength is only a few pounds right now, but it continues to get stronger. My wrist doesn’t have complete range of motion, but it keeps growing, gaining power and muscle.

We don’t know how much movement, strength, or functionality my wrist will have in the future. Scar tissue, damaged nerves, and a lack of working hand muscles continue to hold me back. My wrist and wrist are stiff, thin, weak, and boney. We are hoping my ulnar nerve will grow back and activate more muscles in my hand in the coming months, but we aren’t sure if anything will happen.

You had a tournament fundraiser in your honor this summer, can you tell me little bit about that?

Zack Steffen, a ski friend, has been an amazing source of support throughout my recovery. After hearing my story, he took initiative, dedicated his time, and set up fundraisers in my honor to help cover my extensive medical bills. My heart holds the deepest appreciation for what he’s done, and I could never thank him enough. The biggest fundraiser he organized was a 3-event water ski tournament at his home site, in Spray Lake, Kansas. It was a 6-round pick-&-choose tournament that took place in October 2010. Zack found sponsors to financially support the tournament and cover competitors’ entry fees. In return, each competitor was asked to find 10 donators to pledge for his/her scores. My cousin, Carley Burke, won a prize for raising the most money in pledges. A crazy party followed skiing on Saturday, complete with beer, a band, bon fire, and skiers.

The University of Illinois Water Ski Team also did a big fundraiser. They sold neon sunglasses at collegiate tournaments and any other place they traveled. They posted the “Sunnies Sale” on Facebook and advertised to their friends. Thank you!

 Other ski teams and ski clubs have donated from their team accounts, or they have set up fundraisers of their own. I’m greatly appreciative!

 So many family members, friends, and generous others donated to my Benefit Account, to help cover the costs of my medical bills. Thank you!!! I’m so grateful.

After going through all this, do you view skiing differently?

Yes. I have newfound trepidation. I’m also a bit angry for what it has led to.

Do you think you will ski again? If so, to what level, just for fun or tournaments?

We’ll see what the future holds, and if I have a desire to ski. I’m definitely done competing, but maybe I’ll ride around on skis again, for fun.