Kat's Knee Fund

Here is to "making it suck less."

On a bluebird day in late December 2016, Kat went out for a typical and well deserved day of life in the mountains. After an unfortunate ski turn, she suffered a brutal knee injury that would alter the next 10 months of her life and beyond. At the time, it was assumed to be a standard knee injury for a skier, maybe a few torn ligaments or a simple dislocation. Unfortunately, she wasn't so lucky. The diagnosis showed multiple fractures of her femur, tibia, patella along with a torn meniscus. Now, 10 months, 3 surgeries, tens of thousands of dollars in debt and months worth of physical therapy later, Kat still sits with much uncertainty about the fate of her knee. She is dealing with the daily fear that one of the most renowned orthopedic knee surgeons in the country doesn't know what to do next. Her full recovery has yet to begin as she waits for medical professionals to decide how to move forward. Kat will still need at least one more surgery to repair missing cartilage from her knee, many more doctors visits and of course, extensive physical therapy.


     We all know Kat as a giver and a lover. She’s endlessly kind and compassionate, and prefers being on the giving end of any exchange. She routinely breaks into spontaneous dance moves—even while on crutches—and keeps it fun, light and weird. An idea she loves so much that it is now tattooed on her arm, "Stay Weird." She’s committed to the outdoor lifestyle of mountain recreation and community. Throughout this injury, Kat has carried herself with such dignity and positivity, it's sometimes hard to tell how much of a battle she’s fighting. But her usual life of outdoor adventures, work, and standard mobility has all but come to a screeching crawl, or hobble if you will. This adventurous spirit has been stripped away and at times, she doesn't know where her spirited identity has gone.


     While money won’t fix Kat’s knee, we can be a part of the healing process. Our donations are a gift of emotional and psychological support for Kat. Easing some of the financial burden is a concrete way we can continue to show our love and support for her. 10 months later and Kat is still battling the pain, and facing new challenges each day. Let us not forget that many of us in the mountain community are one accident away from a life-altering injury. Here’s our opportunity to help her back to a life of mountain adventure, spontaneous dance and “Staying Weird."