Thankful to celebrate Keely’s 11th birthday with her today. Thankful for the Ski Patrol, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s helicopter crew and the staff of Loma Linda Children’s Hospital who made it possible to celebrate. Thank you is not enough.
Last year Keely was assigned a science project, and she decided to test restraints on ski lifts. She built a chair out of a hanger wire, used Barbie as the test model, and subjected Barbie to the force of gravity by hanging a paper basket from her toes and slowly adding marbles to this basket.
Barbie without restraints fell with little force subjected. Barbie with a bar restraint was propelled forward but was deterred from a fall by the bar. Barbie with a restraint belt fared the best with little or no movement no matter the force.
It will be interesting to see how the design of chairs will change in decades to come.
January 3, 2011 Keely came to me stating she had to do something to prevent other children from being hurt on ski lifts- there must have been a story on the news of a recent fall. She wanted to share her story with politicians as to her, a third-grader, it was common sense to make the lifts safer for children. I remember this date only because that was the date our governor and local assemblyman were newly sworn in, and I doubted her letters would be read at such a busy time in a politician’s life.
I provided Keely with names and addresses of politicians she could write not thinking anything would come from it. Furthermore, we, as Keely’s parents, were nowhere near ready to deal with thinking about Keely’s accident again. In fact, we never ever wanted to think of those 6 weeks after the accident again… the time we almost lost our Keely.
But then the next week we received a handwritten response from new Assemblyman Mike Morrell. Keely asked, “Now what?” Five months later she received another response- this from President Barack Obama. Sure it was a form letter, but at least there was a response. These replies were the only two received to the many letters Keely mailed out.
And Keely’s question, “Now what?” sounded like a plea for help to this Mommy’s ears. Keely’s actions forced us to work through our memories, emotions and nightmares. Besides advocating for blood donor awareness another positive outcome from Keely’s fall might be possible: updating ski lift safety standards.
We coined our beginning ideas as “Keely’s Law.” We were so green… but that’s another blog entry.
The other day Keely taped her radio spot to run during the KOLA 99.9FM Cares for Kids Campaign August 14, 2012. During this radiothon listeners are encouraged to donate any amount of money to support the purchase of needed items at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital.
A similar KOLA radiothon allowed for the comfort of a KOLA bear to be given to Keely when she was in the medi-helicopter. This little bear means the world to us as it provided comfort when we were unable to be with her as she was rushed to the hospital after her ski lift accident.
I like to think that the funds donated for Keely’s KOLA Bear contributed in the saving of Keely’s life.
In 2010 our then eight year old daughter fell 32 feet off of a ski lift while sitting with an adult and another child. This fall resulted in a 21 day hospital stay including 10 in PICU on life-support. She had near fatal injuries to her right kidney and liver which resulted in the removal of her right kidney and approximately 30 units of blood product replacement.
Since the accident it has been our daughter’s desire and ours to advocate for a common sense safety option not currently available on many ski lifts. In February of 2012 we gained the support of the California Ski Industry Association (CSIA), the California Ski and Snowboard Safety Organization (CSSSO), and the SnowSport Safety Foundation to further this discussion. In April of 2012 we gained the support of the Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital.
As we advocate for updated ski lift safety standards we are asking resorts to increase their education of proper chair use as this information is typically passed down from parents to child or is peer taught. This includes sitting “back to back” (though difficult for the child on a bench sized for the adult femur), gripping the back of the chair or side and utilizing a safety restraint, if provided.
Skiing and snowboarding are inherently risky sports – Riding a chairlift to the top of a run shouldn’t be. In that lies the plight of Terri Proctor and her daughter Keely.
In 2010, Keely, 8 years old at the time, sustained catastrophic injuries after falling 32 feet from a ski chairlift at Snow Valley, CA. Keely was hospitalized for weeks, undergoing multiple surgeries to repair and treat severe injuries sustained to internal organs. Fortunately Keely has overcome this tragic incident, and with the help of her mother Terri, she is fighting to see that other snow-sports recreationists are not subjected to a similar fate.
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Watch Keely’s LifeStream video. Please donate blood!
