U.S. snowboarder Brock Crouch said he was “buried with no oxygen for almost 5 minutes” after an avalanche before several people rescued him, saving his life, in a social media post Thursday.
It happened several days ago while Crouch, 18, was snowboarding in Whistler, B.C. He was swept off an 80-foot cliff, according to USA Surfing (Crouch also surfs).
“I was unfortunately caught in a pretty big avalanche,” was posted on Crouch’s social media, along with images of Crouch at a hospital. “I was standing at the top of a ridge with [friend] Cam when the cornice broke under me and pulled me backwards into a slide. It took me through about 1000 feet and over several rock bands before I ended up at the bottom, buried with no oxygen for almost 5 minutes. Luckily for me, I was with some of the most experienced people in the world when it comes to back country safety and without them I wouldn’t be here today so thank you all!”
Crouch will leave the hospital in a few days, without surgery or spine or nerve damage, according to his social media. He tore his pancreas, knocked out five teeth and fractured three vertebrae.
Crouch was in the running to make the PyeongChang Olympic team in big air and slopestyle but missed the four-man roster. He won the Olympic slopestyle test event in South Korea in 2016.
“I love snowboarding more today than I ever have, and I can’t wait to get back on my board and shred with everyone again!” was the closing statement of Crouch’s post.
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