Doctors have been working to stabilize Brayden.
There’s probably not a one of us, writing or reading, that hasn’t had a close call while doing something we love outdoors. Like catching an edge and coming within an inch of your life from going over a cliff? Or falling on that steep part of a wave in shallow water?
Laguna Beach, Calif. shredder Brayden Belden recently suffered a life-threatening head injury while riding Central Oregon’s Mt. Bachelor. We reached out to the family but friends that set up a crowdsourcing page after the accident called it a “catastrophic head injury.” Belden–who mostly competes in Southern California and defended his home turf this fall by winning the Brooks Street Classic (U13)– was airlifted to Bend, stabilized, then transferred again to a hospital in Portland. After driving down to Bend from the ski resort, Brayden’s family was told by doctors he might not make it.
Things were looking bleak as physicians worked to stabalize the 11-year-old. He’s currently in the ICU at Randall Children’s Hospital where he’s still in a medically-induced coma, according to a GoFundMe page created for the family. It sounds as if Brayden will pull through but it’s going to be a really long road.
Out-of-pocket costs have skyrocketed so friends have set up the page to help with expenses that are estimated to, “exceed the price of the average home in the United States.”
You can help out Brayden and his family, here.
