Steve Wentz Injured

[MotionBoy]

Hey I hope you don't mind me making an annoucement like this but I know there are several people from the cycling industry here.

Steve Wentz of the Honda Turner team had a major crash on Friday during practice at the US Championships. Steve was airlifted to Washoe Medical Center in Reno (775-982-4100 ext. 106) with head and spinal trauma. Steve unfortunately broke four bones in his back, a fractured check bone and several broken ribs from the impact. I’m happy to report that Steve is NOT suffering any paralysis at this time and his outlook is VERY positive. Steve will undergo spinal surgery on Tuesday to repair the damage to his back. The cool thing is that Steve’s doctor is an Expert DH racer himself, so he’s obviously empathetic to Steve’s situation. I just got off the phone with Steve’s dad who told me the prognosis is two to four months of recovery with NO long term repercussions from the injury. I ask that everyone on this board please send all of your positive thoughts Steve’s way.

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[mjm]

that is horrible, ugh.

one of my buddies was up at big bear last weekend and cased up jump. he went over the bars and broke 2 vertabrae. he got a halo put on yesterday but should be 100% again in 3-6 months.

[Photo-John]

Thanks for posting. I hope he has a quick recovery. Same for your friend, mjm. My friend, Saboo, broke his back last year at Big Bear. HIs recovery has been very good, all things considered. It's a dangerous sport and no one should take their health for granted.

[MotionBoy]

It is a very strange thing honestly. Since I moved to Colorado I have known 3 people that have broken their back without longterm damage... Now here is the wierd thing. They are all part of the last photo that I had published in Flow Magazine.
In the photo, Steve Wentz and Mike howse are jumping the same jump at the same time. There is a small story written by my friend Evan Chute, who broke his back on the jump that Mike and Steve are jumping in the photo.
It just occured to me how strange that is.