Skilled skier, Jamie Crane-Mauzy, recognized to her buddies and followers as Jamie “MoCrazy” considered her whole identification as being based mostly round that of an expert athlete. She was on the prime of her sport, having received gold within the junior championships, and representing the USA in freestyle snowboarding at first stopped in 2015.

Tragically, a severe fall on the slopes left her with a traumatic mind harm at age 22 and her life was turned utterly the other way up. Fortunately, with the assist 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 unimaginable restoration.

Whereas now 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 method. Lately, a documentary was launched detailing her accident, restoration, and need to get higher. The movie follows her as she battles despair and finds hope within the face of adversity.

M&F sat down with this inspirational determine to search out out what she’s realized alongside the best way, and the way Jamie Crane-Mauzy’s journey helps others.

Why did you need to create the brief documentary, “#MoCrazyStrong”?

I needed to indicate a dynamic story that adjustments the narrative for ladies and household involvement round TBI [traumatic brain injury] restoration. I waited by means of my restoration journey to indicate the arc of climbing an alternate peak, and rebuilding an identification 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 suppose that a whole lot of viewers might be reassured that it’s regular to really feel depressed even after a perceived “restoration”?

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 an alternate 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 means of aggressive snowboarding. To place that into context, what it’s prefer to flip by means of the air and make a profitable 90-feet leap?

Flipping by means of the air provides a second of elation that provides function to all of the hours of labor that goes into studying that good 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 severe amnesia for six weeks after waking from the coma. Through the amnesia, I knew I used to be an expert skier and needed to return to skilled snowboarding. After I determined I used to be going to return I couldn’t even stroll up a flight of stairs independently.

The primary 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 long run, I made a decision I didn’t need to danger dying, so I made a decision to not return to competitors and needed to construct a brand new identification for myself as a TBI advocate.

How did you deal with that essential choice within the early going?

After I started to comprehend that my earlier identification as an expert skier had been ripped away, I started to endure main dips in my happiness. In the future, whereas nonetheless dwelling at my mother’s home in Park Metropolis, UT, I keep in mind mendacity in mattress and having the considered ‘who would care if I acquired up?’ That first winter, my mother instructed me that an organization I used to be a grant recipient from; Excessive Fives Basis had already paid for me to go to psychological remedy. I didn’t suppose I wanted remedy. I felt like I used to be presupposed to be blissful as a result of I used to be alive, however then I’d get triggered to cry 3-5 instances every day. Going to remedy was top-of-the-line issues I’ve ever carried out and I return to remedy at any time when I want exterior assist, balancing the traumas I expertise.

How did you go about filling the additional time that you simply 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 objectives, and have the ability to really feel like I had construction. I’d advocate that everybody recovering from a life altering trauma ought to discover one thing to place constructive vitality into with a gaggle. It might be music classes, becoming a member of a e-book membership… I just lately met a TBI survivor who began the Montana Puzzle Membership as a method to carry survivors collectively!

How did you regain your mobility?

There may be a whole 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 whole life. For instance, once I was leaving the hospital, I did yoga with my mother three days per week. I had very dangerous steadiness on the time, so it was very rudimentary yoga. Numerous the yoga was sitting and shifting my palms, 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 soothing side of yoga). These little steps of health are important to rebuilding your life. Most individuals can do some bodily exercise even when they suppose they’ll’t. You simply must be inventive and break it all the way down to what you at the moment can accomplish.

How important was it have a assist group like your loved ones round you?

It is vitally essential to have a assist group when recovering from a severe accident. Whereas household was crucial to me due to my mother’s schooling on mind improvement, I admire that not everybody has a supportive household. There’s a large distinction from being a coddling household to being a supportive household, too. Very often, a household thinks that they’re being supportive when actually they’re limiting the TBI survivor’s capacity to return to being unbiased. There was a time once I couldn’t maintain a glass with out spilling the liquid. It will have been very simple for my mother to imagine she was being supportive by forcing me to carry the glass in my robust hand. As a substitute, 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 mountaineering and snowboarding, Pilates, yoga and barre class. I attempt to do a minimum of a brief stroll or some stretching day-after-day, and I want a category, or lengthy train exercise a minimum of 3 days every week. Final week, I used to be at a movie competition, dwelling for 4 days after which went to a different movie competition. Earlier than I even got here dwelling I signed up for 3 yoga and firming courses to reset me.

What’s your relationship with snowboarding like now?

I returned to snowboarding in December in 2015, 9 months after my TBI. After I returned I used to be very excited and blissful! 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 once 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 means of the air, weightless, and free feeling.

For many who might really feel like a significant accident means they have to surrender what they love. What would you say to them?

Once more; you’ll be able to climb an alternate peak. Normalize the struggles and despair. It’s alright to really feel dangerous, overwhelmed, and confused about why this occurred to you. However don’t keep there. Get the allow you to want, like a therapist, bodily coach, contact your states TBI affiliation or name Mind Damage Affiliation of America for data 1-800-444-6443. Science has developed into the idea that you would be able to recuperate from a traumatic mind harm, so now we have to talk and educate that to the coverage makers, trauma facilities, and normal public. These facets are all a part of our marketing campaign #MoCrazyStrong.

How can the “Muscle & Health” viewers watch #MoCrazyStrong?

For 2023 we’re doing a movie competition run throughout North America. We’re additionally delivering non-public screenings for individuals who have survived a Traumatic Mind Damage, household caregivers, therapists and assist employees, medical college college students and educators. If you need to host a screening please contact us by means of the web site.