CR Johnson

One of the most incredibly talented freeskiers around. In december of last year, he was involved in a really horrific crash. Him and kye peterson (14 year old skier) were training a cliff drop (dropping one right after the other). CR fell on his landing, and because of a small miscomunication, Kye went on as normal, landing right on top of CR. He suffered massive head injuries, and spent weeks in an induced coma. almost a month later, he came out of his coma, and had to re-learn to do absolutely everything. Talking, eating, writing, walking, everything, it was all completely foreign to him. The doctor's were originally quite certain that he'd never even walk again. But, CR's planning on being back in the mountains this october. It's people like him that truly embody what skiing means to so many people. For him, it's not a question of if he'll go back, but when. Not skiing was never an option for him, and not once did he admit that he may never ski again. He came through this ordeal with amazing perseverance, courage, and just incredible strength, both mentally and physically. People like him are the epitome of what it means to truly live for a sport. What's more, when something like this happens, it just becomes even more apparent how much of a community the sport of freeskiing really is. Skiers came from all over the US and Canada just to visit him in the hospital. These people hadn't ever even met him before, only seen him in movies and magazines, yet they drove hours and hours just to lend their support and wish him the best. Letters, e-mails, cards, flowers and gifts poured in by the thousands from skiers all over the world wishing him a full recovery. It even went so far that for a month after his accident, people all over north america and europe taped yellow tape around their poles in a symbol of respect for him. Not only did he overcome incredible odds to have a full recovery, he did it without complaints, and his character and courage brought together tens of thousands of people, just by reminding them why it is that they organize their lives around a single sport.