Gopher Breaks His Face - Non POV video

**Gopher** · 02-10-2011, 10:51 AM

Yep, the title says it all! http://unofficialnetworks.com/2011/0...eaks-his-face/

I’m sitting here at Eric’s place in Truckee after an 8 hour drive, manic off of Norco pills, with a face full of blood and broken bone, all while struggling with a head full of demented memories. Was it worth it? Was I having fun? Did I do something stupid? Should I have done something different?

I’ve never been hurt before, but I’m assuming that every injured athlete goes thru exactly what I’m currently experiencing. Doubt. Asking yourself over and over if it could have been avoided. After all that I’ve been thru in the past 24 hours and after watching the film of our day yesterday about 20 times, I’ve come to a conclusion: I think it was worth it, and if nothing else, I was at least having an absolute blast. C’est la vie, non?

The details (as written on my radiology report): I have comminuted (ie shatterd) fractures of my medial, lateral, and anterior walls of the right exercise (essentially the bones to the right of my right eye). I also have another comminuted fracture of the inferior orbital wall with a small amount of depression bloody fragments into the superior aspect of the right maxillary sinus (basically under my eye is busted and bloody bone is in my sinus). Also, there is a small fracture thru the anterior aspect of the right zygomatic arch (also under the eye). All this equals – an ugly looking dude – see video.

I have surgery on Monday and I should be skiing in about 10 days. Stoked it’s a quick recovery.

Luckily, Norcos rule. I’m a major drug connoisseur and these are good drugs humans.

**targetfiction** · 02-10-2011, 10:58 AM

Damn, looked like fun up until face smash happened. Here's to a speedy recovery!

**el hefe** · 02-10-2011, 11:00 AM

holy shit.......... that is nasty! nice skiing though. good luck with the drugs and recovery.

**JimmyCarter** · 02-10-2011, 11:00 AM

Ooof.

Here I was assuming it had something to do with you strolling into the lodge and making out with someone's girlfriend. Heal up quick. Dibs on any leftovers...

**SkiJunky05** · 02-10-2011, 11:06 AM

ooof is right! Good work on making a bad situation something to laugh at. Heal up!

**ectreeskier11** · 02-10-2011, 11:14 AM

that day was fucking sick. heal up man, glad daryn was there to make light of it.

**mikebreen** · 02-10-2011, 11:22 AM

I was working at the top of Collins when this happened. I was wondering what exactly went down. Got to watch patrol inch their way along the shoulder traverse with the toboggan. Get better dude.

**basom** · 02-10-2011, 11:24 AM

knees to face is never good. get well miles!!!

**JFE24** · 02-10-2011, 11:28 AM

There is a "click" sound in the video exactly when you land that last hit, which I assume is the sound of your face breaking.

That click is gonna haunt me.

Heal up strong and fast, man. And thanks for the video and the perspective.

Best to you.

**RockChalk** · 02-10-2011, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by Gopher

The details (as written on my radiology report): I have comminuted (ie shatterd) fractures of my medial, lateral, and anterior walls of the right exercise (essentially the bones to the right of my right eye). I also have another comminuted fracture of the inferior orbital wall with a small amount of depression bloody fragments into the superior aspect of the right maxillary sinus (basically under my eye is busted and bloody bone is in my sinus). Also, there is a small fracture thru the anterior aspect of the right zygomatic arch (also under the eye). All this equals – an ugly looking dude – see video.

\

Made me cringe, heal up.

**knumbskull** · 02-10-2011, 11:44 AM

Time for a full face helmet?

**Crock** · 02-10-2011, 11:49 AM

Wow- what everyone else said, sick stuff til the broken face.

I bit a hole in my lip one year from a knee-to-face accident, and my non-skiing friends couldn't understand how that could have happened. This video is the perfect knee-to-face PSA

**dfinn** · 02-10-2011, 12:28 PM

Sick! You guys were sending it! Multiple times into the same landing. Who would've thought that there would've been a bomb hole in there?

j/k, heal up quick

**Gopher** · 02-10-2011, 12:38 PM

Yeah, what was crazy was that we kept landing in bomb holes and they were still so deep that it didn’t matter. We decided to bail, then I though, oh, lemme just hit one fronty and we’re out. So, as always, it was that last time that did it. Frustrating because it had been so deep and I landed on my feet, but, shit. I’ve literally never been hurt in my life, so I suppose it was time. What’s cool is that I’ll be back on skis real quick. Just gotta get a full face and I’m rockin’.

I just found out that I’m getting the surgery done under my insurance at UCSF, where the best docs on Earth are. I’m pretty stoked on this. It’s like a powder day for surgery!

**PassTheDutchie** · 02-10-2011, 02:25 PM

Ouch! Like the Manu Chao, but here's a different music suggestion:

**Piggity** · 02-10-2011, 02:37 PM

Injuries suck but at least it's a quick return to skiing. The mental aspect of returning from the injury will eventually fade after a few times sending it. I haven't dealt with a broken face yet though, sounds painful. heal up quick!

**Grape_Ape** · 02-10-2011, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by PassTheDutchie

Ouch! Like the Manu Chao, but here's a different music suggestion:

More apt music indeed...but now I know about Manu Chao. That guy rocks!

**Dantheman** · 02-10-2011, 03:04 PM

Siiiiiick Bad News session, I miss it up there. The face-meets-knee sound gives me the shivers though and the radiology write-up is the worst knee-to-face carnage I have ever seen by far. Be careful when you get back out there Gopher, a full face gives a lot more protection but you can still take a shot with one. That damage is also so extensive, especially the damage to your right exercise, that I would think even a blow to the helmet in that area could re-injure your surgical repairs. That stuff is going to be fragile for awhile and you do not want to re-break anything while it's healing. Good luck with your recovery. Got any x-rays to post?

**Imz** · 02-10-2011, 03:08 PM

feel better, holmes.

**mtnbiker/boarder** · 02-10-2011, 03:30 PM

damn brah.... that sound was just well .....nasty....
hope your recovery is quick and your back at it again soon.....not breaking face however......

**pillowfluffer** · 02-10-2011, 03:51 PM

OHHH MAN!

Hope your surgery is quick and painless as possible and that you are back on your skis in 10 days.

Looked like a great time up until then.

Oh and.. THANKS A LOT!!! THE VIDEO SONG IS STUCK IN MY HEAD! (and I can't even understand the words!)

**roadgap** · 02-10-2011, 03:51 PM

Way to kill it with the face smash. If my face ever gives me lip, I hope I can successfully smack the SHIT out of it like you did there. I bet that fucking face isn't going to be talking back anytime soon. Your face got SERVED!

Remember, you don't need a face to ski. Heal up quick.

**ALP snow** · 02-10-2011, 04:09 PM

Dammmm bro. heal up quick and get out here to Colorado this spring for some good lines.

**tone capone** · 02-10-2011, 04:41 PM

This video is the perfect knee-to-face PSA

For sure. I have really enjoyed your videos and I'm glad your gonna be out skiing soon. Please make more videos when you get better, it really keeps me happy watching others having fun, as my season is over with a knee injury. Still, I don't think I would wanna trade places with you. I feel lucky this has never happened to me, looks horrifying enough, and could have been worse. ( A dude at Bridger had his teeth embedded in his knee, apparently, vibes to the broken)