Industry News
Our good buddy Elias “BigE” Holt was involved in an accident last weekend while skiing in Morocco. Elias and his group were very fortunate to survive, however, Elias suffered a severe leg fracture and significant facial trauma. With the help of some locals and his skiing partners, Elias was stabilized and transported several hours to Marrakesh where he was admitted to the international hospital. He was taken to the operating room multiple times the next day to fix his femur and his facial lacerations.
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Currently, Elias is recovering and will fly back to the US at the end of the week once his leg is a bit more healed. Unfortunately, given the severity of his leg fracture, he will likely need revision surgery to make sure his leg heals properly.
How can you help?
Elias will likely be out of work for at least 4-6 months with this injury. Despite being insured, there have been (and will be) significant expenses during his recovery (treatment costs in Morocco, travel, revision surgery, loss of work opportunity, etc.). The COVID-19 pandemic has made the last year financially challenging for everyone, and finding work as a skiing/mountain guide has been nearly impossible as is. Any little bit will help to get BigE back on his feet.
Please share this link with your friends or family. I think everyone can say confidently that Elias wouldn’t bat an eye to help any of us if we were in his position.
***Additionally, if you live in Anchorage and are able to help with a food train or rides, we will be posting a link in the next few days.***
Thanks! We will keep you updated as the situation evolves.
UPDATES:
March 13th: Elias had the revision surgery on his leg earlier today and it went really well. He also was fitted with a back brace which he’ll be sporting for a while. He’s in great spirits and will likely be discharged home on Monday! This should be the last procedure needed and after this, he will be able to focus on healing and getting more mobile. Thanks again to everyone who has donated or offered to help, your generosity has been amazing!
March 11th: As I mentioned a few days ago, Elias was found to have several fractures in his neck and back. These neck fractures and the bulging disc were giving him some numbness in his arms and hands, so yesterday he underwent surgery to stabilize the neck fractures and clean up the discs. The surgeon said the operation went incredibly well and Elias’s nerve signals improved right there in the operating room. He is recovering well in the hospital now with tentative plans to get his femur revision done tomorrow, March 12th.
March 9th:Â I wanted to give a quick update regarding Elias’ status. He made the long trip back to the states this weekend, arriving in NYC where he was met by Karen on Sunday and accompanied for the final leg back to Anchorage. On Monday he was seen by doctors in Anchorage where unfortunately ~8 additional fractures were found in his back/neck. Currently, he is sporting a new shiny c-collar and we are waiting to hear if he will need surgery for those fractures.
The next week will consist of lots of doctor visits to make sure that all of Elias’s injuries are properly accounted for. As the situation evolves, we will keep you updated as best as possible. I am going to increase the financial goal as it is likely that he will need more medical care than originally anticipated.
Unsurprisingly, Elias has maintained a great attitude throughout the entire ordeal and is happy to be back home. He might not be skiing the Oosik this year but he is stable and in great hands. We will be posting a Meal Train link at some point for those who are in Anchorage and are able to help out with food/rides / etc.
