Skiing
From paralysis to power: The inspirational journey of Mike Shaw
Things could have turned out differently for Mike Shaw, but deep gratitude and a fire to get back to independence propelled his recovery after a life-changing ski accident in 2013.
Throughout our lives we're going to be faced with different kinds of adversity and finding the right motivation to push forward can help us stay on course. But overcoming challenges isn’t just about reaching the end -- it’s about the growth and gratitude we experience along the way. Every obstacle we navigate makes us stronger in ways we might not be able to fully understand or grasp immediately.
That encapsulates exactly what Mike Shaw has done since he experienced a life-changing accident back in 2013. In what was a terrifying experience, Mike went from being told he’d never use his hands or walk again to getting back on the slopes the same winter of his accident.
Mike recently took part in his 10th Wings for Life World Run on May 5th, 2024. Registration for 2025 is now open, so you can head over to the official event page to sign up!
Keep reading to learn about the inspirational journey of Mike Shaw.
Mike Shaw Ski Touring
© Royce Sihlis
01
I knew instantly I was paralyzed
In December 2013, Mike was coaching freestyle skiing in Colorado and went to perform a nose-butter 720. He miscalculated his jump which caused him to land in some soft and punchy snow, pitching him forward onto his head and neck in a scorpion-like motion. His feet rose up over his head, dislocating his neck and paralyzing him from the neck down.
Mike knew something was wrong right away. “I felt a brief pop in my neck and then nothing. I knew it was bad because I couldn’t stop falling. Usually, you try to bounce back up to your feet after a crash like that, but that just wasn’t an option,” Mike said. “I slid to a stop, facedown in the snow, and knew it was game over. I couldn’t roll over or feel anything below my neck.”
Every plan I'd ever had for my future was gone... It was devastating.
His mind started racing and all he could think about was his family. He thought about how none of their lives would be the same and how his athletes were supposed to compete the next day. Somehow, in a life-changing situation, Mike was thinking about everyone other than himself.
But then reality started to inch closer and closer and the severity of the situation started to sink in, leading to a sense of fear and uncertainty around his future. “Every plan I’d ever had for my future was gone. Going to the Olympics as a coach for Team Canada? Gone. Ever having kids and a family? Gone. Climbing mountains? Gone. Skiing and every other dream I had? All gone,” Mike shared. “It was devastating.”
02
There is always hope to hold onto
After ski patrol arrived on the scene they took control of the situation, strapped Mike to a spine board and took him to the hospital in Denver where he was wheeled into surgery. He had a little movement in his arms and a slight sensation in his body, but not his skin. It wasn’t looking good.
The doctors told Mike that he should start to prepare himself to never walk again, saying, “In fact, you’ll be lucky if you get back the use of your arms.” The surgery, in many ways, was a success. Mike came out just barely able to move his arms, but in his mind that was a win. “I went into surgery with nothing, so in my mind, it was awesome. If [movement] had changed, why couldn’t it keep changing? I thought I would keep healing,” he said.
Even with his own optimism the doctors were still skeptical, telling Mike not to expect much and he was diagnosed as an incomplete quadriplegic (ASIA-B). But if you ever want to challenge a 27-year-old man to do something, try telling him he can't do it. Mike said, “I decided at that moment that I would listen to my doctors, but only I knew what I was truly capable of. The only person in this world who knows what you’re capable of is you.”
Mike Shaw with his family outside the hospital
© Shaw Family
Mike Shaw after surgery
© Shaw Family
Mike Shaw's X-Ray after his surgery
© Mike Shaw
In situations like Mike’s, holding onto motivation and positivity was important, but not always easy. Even as a realist, Mike still saw himself skiing powder again and held onto the vision of one day getting back on the slopes.
And he willed that vision into reality, making miraculous improvements during the beginning of his recovery. He spent his first three months of intensive rehab in Vancouver, British Columbia, at a facility called GF Strong. He wanted to get back on his feet, get strong, and get back to his life. But maybe more than anything, he wanted independence.
Now all Mike tries to do in the winter with his free time is ski powder. He does a 7-day ski touring trip every December where he hikes every single run he skis for seven days straight. It’s a physical grind and incredibly difficult being in the backcountry for that long, but it’s a true testament to the mindset that Mike has.
“Being able to ski tour exceeded my expectations for my recovery. I think I’ve even surprised myself with what I’m capable of!” However, getting to this point wasn’t smooth sailing. Mike knows he hasn’t always been positive throughout his recovery but according to him, gratitude was his secret weapon. “Every day I chose to work my butt off and put all of my effort into getting better. In the end, it was about resilience, attitude, effort, and gratitude.”
03
Support makes all the difference in the world
Since his time in the hospital, Mike has achieved a hell of a lot considering the initial diagnosis and outlook. He was back in the mountains on a sit ski following his discharge from the hospital and was making turns again the same winter as his accident. That summer, he achieved a few more milestones.
He started to drive again, re-learned how to ride a bike, re-learned how to swim and even stood up on a wakesurf board. Mike joked that the old saying “it’s just like riding a bike” no longer applies. He also walked the 5km Scotiabank Charity Challenge for Spinal Cord Injury BC in Vancouver, finishing in just under 1 hr 30 min.
Shaw skiing in "Mike Shaw: The Healing Agent"
© Amstelworks
But he couldn’t have done it without the support of his friends and family.
From the beginning, his family and friends were rooting for him and keeping him motivated to recover, but Mike says having Darren Rayner and Jan Schuster come into the hospital with their cameras helped fuel the fire inside of him. They started filming and documenting his recovery for a documentary on Red Bull TV. “We had no idea when we started filming that it would become such a big project. I’m so grateful my story is out there and inspiring others,” Mike said.
“Helping others with my experience continues to be a big motivator for me.”
After a lot of time, rehabbing, trials and tribulations throughout his recovery, Mike was aiming to fulfill his dream of heli-skiing — only two years after the accident. When he did, he was full of emotions, saying, “It was a monumental achievement when I got back on snow for the first time. I was overwhelmed by joy, gratitude, grief and pain.”
Helping others with my experience continues to be a big motivator for me.
On one hand, he almost couldn’t believe he actually did it and was overflowing with gratitude. On the other hand, he knew he was still so far from where he wanted to be physically. He was in a lot of pain and, in some ways, being on the mountain and not being able to ski like he used to was almost like salt in the wound. Now backcountry skiing has become his passion.
“There’s so much to learn while navigating backcountry terrain. I feel like I’m getting better in that aspect of the sport. After all, that’s what we’re all hungry for in life: progress.”
Mike knows that some days are going to be harder than others, but he is more than aware of how lucky he is and he chooses to hold onto that perspective rather than fitting on the loss, grief, and pain. Mike said, “I work damn hard for it, but I know I’m one of the lucky ones.”
Watch the Healing Agent documentary on Red Bull TV to find out more about Mike's recovery. Never count out Mike Shaw.
26 min
The Healing Agent
After suffering a catastrophic injury, pro skier Mike Shaw faces the biggest challenge of his life.
04
Supporting the Wings for Life World Run
The Wings for Life World Run is back again this year, taking place on May 5th, 2024. It’s the world’s largest running event that connects runners and wheelchair users around the world in a fun, one-of-a-kind format. Everyone around the world participates at the same time – at their own pace and with their own goals – to help move us all closer to a cure for spinal cord injury.
100 percent of the entry fees go directly to spinal cord research, which is how Mike got introduced to the Wings for Life World Run back in 2015. He first heard about it from one of his closest friends and mentors, Josh Dueck. According to Mike, Josh rocks the world in a wheelchair and was the first person to backflip a sit ski. Josh was Mike’s freestyle ski coach and was participating in the run, so Mike wanted to follow his lead.
Mike Shaw celebrates achieving his goal at the Wings for Life World Run
© Royce Sihlis for Wings for Life World Run
“I did my first Wings for Life World Run in 2015, so I’m coming up on nine years and nine races [this year]. It’s amazing. The magic is the same for me every year, and I get super excited about the race!” Mike said.
What does it mean for him to see people from all around the world come together on the same day, at the same time, and for the same purpose? It means a lot. He runs for those who can't because there are millions of people globally affected by spinal cord injuries. “I’m literally out there for everyone who would kill for a second chance like I got. The fact that hundreds of thousands of people get out and run, walk, and roll in support of spinal cord injury research is unreal.”
I’m grateful for every single person who gets out to support WFL
For Mike personally, the race is a reminder of his good fortune. His recovery is the byproduct of a successful medical procedure with cutting-edge technology in a state-of-the-art hospital, but there was luck involved, too. He uses the Wings for Life World Run as a sort of annual benchmark to help measure his progress in healing. In many ways, the run serves as a massive source of motivation, training hard every year for the race which helps increase his capacity, leading to everyday life becoming a little, or a lot, easier.
05
We are the masters of our own destiny
Life can come at you fast and unexpectedly, but it’s how we respond to these uncertainties that help guide us forward. For Mike Shaw, things could have turned out differently if it wasn’t for his gratitude and willpower to persevere. And even though he’s come leaps and bounds over the years in his recovery, only Mike knows what the future has in store for him.
“I’m completing my master’s in psychology this year, building up my public speaking business, consulting in the safety industry to help prevent injuries, and doing some exploring with my wife and dog this summer,” Mike said. But first and foremost, he’s looking forward to trying to put down a personal best at the 2024 Wings for Life World Run.
“I can’t wait to run and roll with you wherever you are in the world!”
Registration is now open for the next Wings for Life World Run happening on May 4, 2025! If you're interested in taking part in an event that connects runners and wheelchair users globally with a fun, one-of-a-kind format and a compelling charitable objective, then simply click here to sign up.
Mike Shaw running during the 2019 Wings for Life World Run
© Royce Sihlis for Wings for Life World Run