Snowboarding
A Dose of Inspiration from Kevin Pearce
After a coma-inducing crash, snowboarding’s greatest survivor has a new mission.
Night Layback, 2008
© Adam Moran
In our newest series, INSPIRE, we present snowboarders who do something extra awesome besides their sport, and lead the way to new horizons of inspiration.
Back in 2009, Kevin Pearce had a goal: to go to Vancouver and win a medal. The pressure was intense: Shaun White was the world number one, and Kevin was considered to be his only real rival. The snowboarding arms race was escalating, with double corks becoming the new must-have weapon for halfpipe, and Pearce was pushing himself hard to learn doubles in time for the Vancouver showdown with White, just two months away.
Disaster struck. Hitting the deck of the Park City halfpipe on a Cab double attempt, Kevin bounced head first to the icy flat bottom, sustaining a massive head trauma that would see him spend six days in a coma, followed by many months of intense rehab. It would be a long, hard, slow road to recovery, as brilliantly documented in the 2013 film The Crash Reel.
Kevin on the podium at the Burton European Open
© Adam Moran
One of the most moving aspects of the film is seeing how Kevin goes from a determination to return to competitive snowboarding, to acceptance that he cannot: his eyesight is permanently impaired, and his brain now so fragile that a second concussion could be catastrophic.
But, as one door closes, another opens. Letting go of a career in snowboarding meant beginning a new life chapter, and for Kevin, the obvious choice was to use his fame and experiences to help others going through the same ordeal.
The result was Love Your Brain, Kevin’s new social movement project aimed at brain injury prevention and rehabilitation, and the KP Fund, which supports local community organizations helping families facing similar challenges to the Pearce's. His snowboard career may be over, but it seems KP has become a greater inspiration than ever.
‘Ride for Kevin’
© Adam Moran
What has been the most important lesson you've learned about yourself during your recovery?
What the human body is capable of, and what is possible if you put your mind to it.
What was the hardest thing about getting back on a snowboard?
Realizing how disabled I was. Just how serious the accident had been, and not being able to do the stuff I had been used to doing, that I loved so much. Having that taken away from me has changed snowboarding for me. I still love it, but not being able to ride the halfpipe and hit jumps has made it such a different scene for me now. It’s been hard to accept that change.
Kevin: back on a snowboard again
© Adam Moran
Post Sochi, there have been rumours that the IOC consider snowboarding (particularly Slopestyle) to be too dangerous. What's your take on that?
I think people are crazy when they say that. You know, there may have been a few falls and accidents, but why don’t you go and find the stats of how many car accidents there were today? It’s ridiculous and I don’t agree with it at all.
What's been the most rewarding thing to happen to you this past year?
I think it’s been seeing how this film (The Crash Reel) has affected and changed people’s lives. It teaches: people sit down and watch this movie and walk away with so much more than a good experience, they learn something and maybe come away a better person for it.
Kevin Pearce and Jake Burton
© Adam Moran
If you want to support Kevin's cause, join or donate to the Love Your Brain initiative.