{"id":65393,"date":"2024-06-24T07:21:04","date_gmt":"2024-06-24T13:21:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=65393"},"modified":"2025-03-03T12:54:36","modified_gmt":"2025-03-03T19:54:36","slug":"teenage-skier-tackles-new-life-after-below-knee-amputation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/teenage-skier-tackles-new-life-after-below-knee-amputation\/","title":{"rendered":"Once aiming for the Olympics, skier embraces new life after heart-wrenching accident"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Once
Photo: UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When David Schlicht completed an aerial ski jump at the Park City Utah Olympic Park three years ago, his aspirations were as high as the air he caught on the cork 720 trick he landed.<\/p>\n

A spot on a future World Cup or U.S. Olympic team was not out the realm for the then 15-year-old, a skier since his toddler years who had been racking up accolades as a slopestyle skier with his inspiring jumps and difficult terrain park challenges. The Steamboat Springs teenager lived part time with a host family in Summit County so he could be a member of its ski team and train at Copper Mountain\u2019s terrain park.<\/p>\n

\"Once
Once bound for the Olympics, David suffered a terrible accident during practice and ultimately opted for a below-knee amputation. With support from his mom, dad and sister, David’s facing his future with infectious optimism. Photo by John Russell for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"David
David was training for the Olympics when a terrible accident left him badly injured. He eventually opted for a below-knee amputation on his right leg. Photo by John Russell, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI loved the thrill of it, and I really liked the jumps.\u201d<\/p>\n

But on June 20, 2021, after years of practice and thousands of ski runs, it wasn\u2019t a nail-biter jump that would change his life, but what would happen in the few terrifying moments after he completed it.<\/p>\n

That afternoon, David took off from the Utah practice slope made of artificial snow and splashed down from his high-flying aerial onto the mountain-sized inflatable airbag skiers use in the summer while they train. For the jump, he extended himself upward as well as vertically, all the while rotating his body twice for a total of 720 degrees in the air before returning to earth.<\/p>\n

As he took off his skis and began walking off the puffy bag, he remembers the wind picking up and then, within seconds, being violently flung through the air. As his coach, teammates and spectators watched in horror, the bag came loose from the anchors tethering it to the ground. Like the sail of a boat, it gathered ferocious momentum in the wind and scooped up David with tremendous force as it flipped in the air. Still wearing his boots, he plunged 60 feet onto hard ground and rocks, with the bag landing on top of him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started screaming and yelling, and I began trying to crawl my way out. I crawled myself to the edge, and then they lifted up the air bag and pulled me out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Facing the severity of injury to his legs below the knee<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While their son\u2019s accident was unfolding, David\u2019s parents Hal and Suzanne Schlicht, were in Steamboat Springs. His mother, senior vice president and sales director at Alpine Mountain Ranch & Club<\/a>, recalls getting a call from David\u2019s coach, who was with him while medics prepared him for the ambulance ride to Salt Lake City Primary Children\u2019s Hospital<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As his parents awaited more news, neither could have realized the extent of his injuries until a nurse called soon with an alarming update: \u201cShe said, \u2018Your son is not going anywhere \u2013 he\u2019s experienced serious trauma,\u2019\u201d Suzanne remembered.<\/p>\n

While she immediately started the drive to Salt Lake City, Hal, a business owner, stayed in Steamboat, cell phone in hand, to provide the hospital with needed consent for medical procedures.<\/p>\n

\"David
David with his mom, Suzanne. When she received the phone call from David’s coach about the terrible accident, she got in the car and started driving as fast as possible to Salt Lake City. Photo by John Russell for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

David\u2019s accident was serious and complicated: extensive injuries and fractures in both heels and his left ankle, tibia and fibula; deep wounds, lumbar fractures and fracture blisters covering his lower extremities; he needed a blood transfusion and was in intensive care and the neuro-trauma unit for 10 days. Surgeons performed fasciotomies on both sides of David\u2019s left calf to relieve swelling and pressure \u2013 a procedure in which his muscle sac was cut from his ankle to his knee. He also needed external fixators, or hardware, on both shins and heels to keep those areas temporarily intact in anticipation of future surgery.<\/p>\n

Surgeons in Utah ultimately closed both sides of the fasciotomies in his left leg but told him he would likely suffer permanent muscle damage and diminished range of motion. His right heel particularly was in very bad shape. It was missing a massive amount of tissue and skin and was badly blistered.<\/p>\n

\"David's
David’s family has helped him rebound after a below-the-knee amputation. Here, David poses with his sister, Allison, and his father, Hal. Photo by John Russell for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Back home to family and friends, and more surgery<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Foreseeing a long road ahead that included surgeries and rehab, the family decided to head back to Colorado and to UCHealth for its high-quality medical staff and limb restoration program led by Dr. Jason Stoneback<\/a>. After a painful drive back to Steamboat where David stretched out in the back of the family car, he arrived home to a newly built wheelchair ramp a friend of the family had constructed, along with a first-floor bed, where he spent his first couple of days out of the hospital.<\/p>\n

But the reprieve was short-lived. A few days later, David was in Denver for an outpatient visit when doctors said he needed to go to UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital<\/a> at the Anschutz Medical Campus<\/a> for wound care. It would become their home away from home for the next 20 days, as medical staff would tend to his two shattered heels and a left pilon fracture, which is a break of the shinbone near the ankle.<\/p>\n

When Dr. Nicholas Alfonso<\/a>, a UCHealth orthopedic surgeon, met David the next morning, he was blunt: \u201cAny one of these injuries is life-changing, but you have three,\u201d he told him.<\/p>\n

The family remembers that moment, and while they were alarmed by the frankness of his statement, Alfonso\u2019s honesty helped forge a relationship that would take them through dark moments.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat bond of trust was incredible because we knew he was always shooting straight with us,\u201d Suzanne said.<\/p>\n

\"Friends
Friends and former teammates with whom David trained in Summit County greeted him with signs of support as he headed home from Aurora to Steamboat Springs following a below-knee amputation. Photo courtesy of the Schlicht family.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For Alfonso, he had to balance the need to communicate the severity of David\u2019s injuries against the desire to instill optimism i<\/span>n his patient.<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially with a young person, it\u2019s a very delicate situation. I must be realistic, but I don\u2019t want to devastate this young man. He needs some hope, as the situation he was facing can be overwhelming and hard on the psyche,” said Alfonso, who is also an assistant professor<\/a> at the University of Colorado School of Medicine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On July 13 \u2014 David\u2019s 16th<\/sup> birthday \u2014 he had pilon surgery to reconstruct his left ankle.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like to say Dr. Alfonso gave me a brand-new ankle for my birthday.\u201d David said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

Next came both heel surgeries, after which the family returned to Steamboat, David in a wheelchair.<\/p>\n

A difficult and extremely important decision for David<\/strong><\/h2>\n

But a month later, they found themselves back in Denver as UCHealth providers tried to stem growing infections in his right heel. Medical staff performed wound debridement (removing dead tissue), and David had nine surgeries, including one that removed all the hardware in his right foot in a continuing effort to save it.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.
Dr. Nicholas Alfonso helped David and his family cope with his devastating injuries following a ski training accident. Photo: UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIt was weird. At that point, I could feel it hadn\u2019t healed,\u201d David said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t feeling good, and it was a pretty bad time. I wasn\u2019t happy to be there. I couldn\u2019t get out of the hospital bed at all. I couldn\u2019t really do anything. I was just stuck there.\u201d<\/p>\n

His doctors discussed the possibility of a skin graft from his upper thigh, along with a blood vessel, to replace the absence of skin and tissue in his right heel. But the option of amputation began to be part of the discussion. The Schlichts \u2014 David most of all \u2014 were faced with making a harrowing pro-con list on whether to continue the medical fight for his leg \u2026 or amputate it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was horrible. It was horrible to be sitting in his hospital room for days and days, and the news kept getting worse and not better. You want to talk to your son about the positive things, and there\u2019s not a lot of positive,\u2019\u2019 Suzanne said.<\/p>\n

When discussing his ordeal, David, now 19, is candid, quietly confident and composed. He has a wide and frequent smile, blond hair poking out from his cap, and manages to grin even when talking about his lowest moments during the past few years.<\/p>\n

He said he came to realize that without the amputation, he was looking at a future filled with more operations, more chance of infections and more pain, coupled with less mobility, less freedom and less opportunity for him to lead the life he had dreamed of.<\/p>\n

\u201cI ultimately decided I would like to continue doing what I love to do: going on seven- and eight-mile hikes, skiing, fishing, and being outdoors. So, I decided I wanted to get an amputation.\u201d<\/p>\n

In September 2021, David had a below-knee amputation of his right foot. Three days later, he had TMR surgery (Targeted Muscle Reinnervation to reduce the chance of phantom limb pain) and three days after that, he left UCHealth for what he hoped was the last time.<\/p>\n

His older sister Allison talked about his optimism, never flagging even through the long hospital stays when he made jokes with the staff and asked for a wheelchair that \u201cdidn\u2019t look dorky.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was the coolest kid before this, and he\u2019s still the coolest kid,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"Once
Photo: UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Walking high school halls\u2026and life with his prosthetic<\/strong><\/h2>\n

After his amputation, David learned to navigate the halls of Steamboat Springs High School, first in a wheelchair, then crutches, and finally, in a prosthetic that came in time for Christmas. He conquered the new hardware attached to his leg with the same resolve that he used to land his gravity-defying ski tricks. His new limb is lightweight and made of carbon fiber, and includes a socket, a pylon and a foot that attaches to his leg, about six inches below his knee.<\/p>\n

When he stood on his feet for the first time \u2013 unassisted and without crutches \u2013 it was a bittersweet moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a little weird, but it was pretty cool because I hadn\u2019t stood up on my feet for so long. I had been in a wheelchair, and then crutches since June, so it felt great to be in a prosthetic.\u201d He pauses for a moment and then adds, \u201cYeah, it was a great feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"David
David holds up his prosthetic leg during a pep rally and celebration with fellow seniors at his high school. Following a terrible accident, David has embraced his new life with infectious optimism. Photo courtesy of the Schlicht family.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A few months later, he was back on skis \u2014 his dad had already bought his IKON ski pass. He didn\u2019t want it to go to waste, so he returned to the mountains at Steamboat that he knew so well.<\/p>\n

He is relaxed and in control cruising down the runs \u2014 and this past winter he added more mountains to his \u201cconquered\u201d list: Big Sky and Bridger Bowl, two resorts in proximity to Montana State University (MSU) in Bozeman, where he just wrapped up his freshman year. His time on the slopes included some practicing on the \u201crails,\u201d tricks he is comfortable with after three years of skiing with a custom-made prosthetic.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel a lot healthier a lot stronger now. My legs feel a lot stronger when I\u2019m hiking, like I\u2019m back to my normal self. It actually felt really good and really natural and I\u2019m having a lot of fun.”<\/p>\n

In typical David style, he headed up to MSU on his own last fall in his Ford F250 Super Duty truck, a reliable companion for all his outdoor pursuits. He joked that he tossed in the essentials: some clothes, a toothbrush and toothpaste, before saying goodbye to his family and making the 10-hour solo drive.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s how David rolls,\u201d his father Hal said. \u201cHe had a successful year at school and like everything he faces, he adjusted remarkably well.\u201d<\/p>\n

David chose MSU for its strong business program, as well as its location, nestled near the northern Rockies, so he could continue to pursue his long list of outdoor interests: archery, elk and duck hunting, fishing, skiing, snowmobiling, water skiing, hiking and dirt biking.<\/p>\n

During the past few years, he has significantly increased the range of motion in his left foot and ankle to near normal. This can be attributed to additional \u201chardware removal surgery\u201d Alfonso performed on David\u2019s ankle where some of the plates and screws that were used in reconstruction were taken out to reduce pain when he wears certain shoe apparel like ski boots or dirt biking boots.<\/p>\n

And much of the credit goes to David himself and his dedication to returning to high physical activity, supported by weight training and cardio exercise five days a week at the MSU gym. In the aftermath of the accident, he had lost one-quarter of his body weight, which he has put back on, along with strengthening the muscles in his right thigh. When you factor in his summer job: working on a construction and excavation crew in Steamboat \u2013 and he is in top physical condition.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really proud of him.\u201d Suzanne said. “He has really got his mojo back. He is strong and fit and he\u2019s on his game.\u201d<\/p>\n

David is not one to curse his fate or second-guess events that caused the loss of part of his leg.<\/p>\n

And while college had not been at the forefront of his plans before the accident as he was focused on professional skiing, he has \u201cpivoted\u201d masterfully, his family said, and now fully embraces college life and all its promises, and was even awarded a scholarship by the Limb Preservation Foundation,<\/a> as he takes some steps into an advocacy role for others who have lost limbs as he has.<\/p>\n

\"David
David with his dog, Max. He loves hunting and hiking. In the wake of an accident that forced a below-knee amputation, David has embraced new sports and new passions. Photo by John Russell, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIt happened. There\u2019s no reason for me to be sad about it. To get strong and to get balanced has been a huge motivator for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Facing the future with high hopes<\/strong><\/h2>\n

His “really cool\u201d new prosthetic BioDapt<\/a> foot is specifically made for skiing and high-impact sports that gives him more control down the slopes. Configured with a shock system like a mountain bike, the design allows it to efficiently absorb bumps and jumps through the toe and heel. While aerials likely won\u2019t be in his future, David uses the specialized foot to snowmobile, ride his dirt bike and waterski.<\/p>\n