Professional skier, Jamie Crane-Mauzy, recognized to her mates and followers as Jamie “MoCrazy” seen her total id as being based mostly round that of knowledgeable athlete. She was on the high of her sport, having received gold within the junior championships, and representing the USA in freestyle snowboarding at the start stopped in 2015.
Tragically, a critical fall on the slopes left her with a traumatic mind damage at age 22 and her life was turned utterly the other way up. Thankfully, with the help of her loving mother (Grace) and sister (Jeanee), and with assist from the medical group, Jamie not solely survived, however went on to make an unbelievable restoration.
While not destined to compete, she as soon as once more placed on the skis to show that the place there’s a will, there’s a means. Recently, a documentary was launched detailing her accident, restoration, and need to get higher. The movie follows her as she battles melancholy and finds hope within the face of adversity.
M&F sat down with this inspirational determine to seek out out what she’s realized alongside the way in which, and the way Jamie Crane-Mauzy’s journey helps others.
Why did you wish to create the brief documentary, “#MoCrazyStrong”?
I needed to point out a dynamic story that modifications the narrative for girls and household involvement round TBI [traumatic brain injury] restoration. I waited by way of my restoration journey to point out the arc of climbing another peak, and rebuilding an id after trauma. I needed to wait till I returned to Whistler Ski Resort to marry the love of my life, atop the very mountain that nearly took my life!
Do you assume that quite a lot of viewers shall be reassured that it’s regular to really feel depressed even after a perceived “recovery”?
It’s OK to really feel depressed and overwhelmed after encountering a trauma, simply don’t keep caught on the backside. After a metaphorical avalanche slides you down the mountain of life, you’ll be able to all the time climb another peak! Your capabilities might have completely modified, however you’ll be able to all the time construct a life you’re keen on.
You needed to come to phrases with shedding the highs you felt by way of aggressive snowboarding. To put that into context, what it’s prefer to flip by way of the air and make a profitable 90-feet leap?
Flipping by way of the air offers a second of elation that offers function to all of the hours of labor that goes into studying that excellent trick.
When the crash occurred, did it put you off ever snowboarding once more?
No, the precise reverse occurred. I used to be in a coma for 10 days. Then, I had critical amnesia for six weeks after waking from the coma. During the amnesia, I knew I used to be knowledgeable skier and needed to return to skilled snowboarding. When I made a decision I used to be going to return I couldn’t even stroll up a flight of stairs independently.
The first winter, I mentally attributed my TBI with different ski accidents like damaged bones or torn ligaments. I used to be planning on taking that winter off competing after which I’d return to the world tour, however I knew I needed to relearn to ski and all my tips. In the top, I made a decision I didn’t wish to threat loss of life, so I made a decision to not return to competitors and needed to construct a brand new id for myself as a TBI advocate.
How did you deal with that necessary resolution within the early going?
When I started to understand that my earlier id as knowledgeable skier had been ripped away, I started to undergo main dips in my happiness. One day, whereas nonetheless dwelling at my mother’s home in Park City, UT, I keep in mind mendacity in mattress and having the considered ‘who would care if I got up?’ That first winter, my mother instructed me that an organization I used to be a grant recipient from; High Fives Foundation had already paid for me to go to psychological remedy. I didn’t assume I wanted remedy. I felt like I used to be presupposed to be joyful as a result of I used to be alive, however then I’d get triggered to cry 3-5 occasions every day. Going to remedy was top-of-the-line issues I’ve ever performed and I return to remedy each time I want outdoors assist, balancing the traumas I expertise.
How did you go about filling the additional time that you just now had post-skiing?
I began attending college one yr out of my TBI. It was so useful for me to have a function, set targets, and be capable to really feel like I had construction. I’d suggest that everybody recovering from a life altering trauma ought to discover one thing to place optimistic power into with a gaggle. It may very well be music classes, becoming a member of a ebook membership… I not too long ago met a TBI survivor who began the Montana Puzzle Club as a option to deliver survivors collectively!
How did you regain your mobility?
There is quite a lot of bodily work that went into regaining my mobility. I understood the idea of pushing past your capabilities, having competed in sports activities my total life. For instance, after I was leaving the hospital, I did yoga with my mother three days per week. I had very unhealthy steadiness on the time, so it was very rudimentary yoga. Numerous the yoga was sitting and shifting my fingers, or mendacity on the ground to maneuver my legs. My mother additionally understood, as I used to be rewiring my mind, that it is very important relearn to decelerate my mind with Shavasana (a calming side of yoga). Those little steps of health are important to rebuilding your life. Most folks can do some bodily exercise even when they assume they will’t. You simply have to be artistic and break it all the way down to what you at the moment can accomplish.
How important was it have a help group like your loved ones round you?
It is essential to have a help group when recovering from a critical accident. While household was essential to me due to my mother’s training on mind growth, I admire that not everybody has a supportive household. There is an enormous distinction from being a coddling household to being a supportive household, too. Quite typically, a household thinks that they’re being supportive when actually they’re limiting the TBI survivor’s capability to return to being unbiased. There was a time after I couldn’t maintain a glass with out spilling the liquid. It would have been very straightforward for my mother to imagine she was being supportive by forcing me to carry the glass in my robust hand. Instead, she taped down my robust hand and compelled me to carry water within the cup with my weak hand. That allowed my mind to rebuild the pathways and synaptic connections, which allowed me to regain full mobility.
How energetic are you now?
I want train to remain sane! I like actions, like mountain climbing and snowboarding, Pilates, yoga and barre class. I attempt to do at the least a brief stroll or some stretching day by day, and I want a category, or lengthy train exercise at the least 3 days per week. Last week, I used to be at a movie pageant, dwelling for 4 days after which went to a different movie pageant. Before I even got here dwelling I signed up for 3 yoga and firming courses to reset me.
What is your relationship with snowboarding like now?
I returned to snowboarding in December in 2015, 9 months after my TBI. When I returned I used to be very excited and joyful! It didn’t faze me that I needed to relearn to ski and I used to be again on the bunny slope. As an athlete, you’re used to taking it mellow after a torn ACL. What did have an effect on me emotionally was after I got here to the belief that I used to be not returning to competing. I needed to understanding I’d by no means once more have that feeling of hovering by way of the air, weightless, and free feeling.
For those that might really feel like a serious accident means they have to quit what they love. What would you say to them?
Again; you’ll be able to climb another peak. Normalize the struggles and melancholy. It’s alright to really feel unhealthy, overwhelmed, and confused about why this occurred to you. But don’t keep there. Get the enable you want, like a therapist, bodily coach, contact your states TBI affiliation or name Brain Injury Association of America for data 1-800-444-6443. Science has advanced into the idea that you could recuperate from a traumatic mind damage, so now we have to talk and educate that to the coverage makers, trauma facilities, and common public. These points are all a part of our marketing campaign #MoCrazyStrong.
How can the “Muscle & Fitness” viewers watch #MoCrazyStrong?
For 2023 we’re doing a movie pageant run throughout North America. We are additionally delivering non-public screenings for individuals who have survived a Traumatic Brain Injury, household caregivers, therapists and help workers, medical college college students and educators. If you wish to host a screening please contact us by way of the web site.