America’s Carl Johnson dropped me a positive note this week with the great news of his recovery after the accident he suffered recently.
He wrote …”Hi Robbie, I just wanted to write to say thank you for all the heartfelt letters I have received via your website. Our ski racing community is truly amazing. To update as to my progress:
I was taken of the ventilator last Sunday and have started to recover quickly. I have been sent home to recuperate there. Overall I am doing well and look for a speedy recovery.
Thanks again
Carl
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America’s Carl Johnson was unfortunately involved in a boat accident in a race at Parker recently. His wife Jane writes …
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your many good wishes and prayers, it has been very comforting to me, Ben and all the family in this very difficult week.
The accident was very serious. Carl was thrown out of the boat when the steering broke. He hit his face on the boat, causing serious facial trauma and he also inhaled a lung-ful of Colorado River! The water in his lungs was life-threatening so he was airlifted to St Josephs Hospital in Phoenix where he has been totally sedated and on a respirator ever since.
Carl is very strong and he is making good progress and is likely to make a full recovery. The trauma team at St Jospehs have been truly amazing – we could not have wished for a better team or a better hospital. Today is a big day – he is due to be taken off the respirator.
Just so that you know the old Carl is still with us – on his first day in hospital the sedation was lifted a little. Carl can’t talk because of the respirator (and you know how Carl loves to talk!). He asked for a pen and paper so he could write a note.
He wrote “This sucks! Get me out of here!”
We look forward to getting the old Carl back!
Love Jane & the Johnson family
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Many people will know that Carl has been involved in international ski racing since the 1970’s and represented the USA in the very first Worlds in 1979. Check out Carl in action 29 years ago on video here.
His passion for the sport and the people in it continues today and I for one wish this wonderful competitor and friend, a quick and comfortable recovery.
You can add updates on Carl’s condition and good wishes to Carl below. He’s a regular reader at skirace.net so you can be sure he’ll get your messages.
