Support Brooke's Journey to Recovery

On February 17th, 2024, my sister Brooke Dunning, suffered a devastating snowboarding accident at one of our local ski resorts here in Michigan. She tragically broke her neck which caused severe trauma to her spinal cord.

Before the accident, Brooke was an active 26-year-old, enjoying a career as a Certified Public Accountant. She was passionate about snowboarding, with 20 years of ski and snowboarding experience. She also enjoyed motorcycling, volleyball, rollerblading, and wakeboarding. Brooke has always been an active and athletic person and now, almost 5 months later, she is wheelchair-bound, facing a long and difficult journey to recovery. Despite this, Brooke remains a beacon of strength and positivity.

Our family was completely unprepared for this life-altering event. My mom has been there every step of the way, dropping everything to be by Brooke’s side. She has been working endlessly, navigating all the logistics and decisions that need to be made.

Our family is raising funds to help cover Brooke's medical bills, rehabilitation, ongoing home care, essential home modifications, and a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.

What began as a fun-filled day on the slopes with her childhood friend Eliana ended with Brooke breaking her C5 in the devastating impact. Emergency surgery was required to fuse her C4 and C6 to her C5 with 2 spacers, a plate, and a screw fixation. Brooke still cannot perform everyday tasks independently, such as walking and personal care. She requires continuous assistance, care, and support.

Brooke's road to recovery has been extremely rough. Since her debilitating accident, she has been under constant care at 4 different hospitals and rehab centers. She has suffered complications including pneumonia, pseudomona, and COVID-19. Brooke was placed on a ventilator and ultimately required a tracheotomy. She has had to re-learn how to breathe independently and is truly lucky to be alive. Brooke is a fighter and continues to work extremely hard every day to do basic activities that people take for granted. She continues to laugh and smile despite the adversity she is facing.

Your support can make a significant difference in Brooke’s and our family’s lives. Any donation, no matter how small, is deeply appreciated. Thank you for listening to Brooke’s story and for your generosity.