I’ve been laying in a German hospital bed in a city -that wasn’t in my skate trip schedule- for three days now. That’s the thing about skateboarding… It takes you to the most random places, hospitals included.
I came to Germany to meet my friends and go to the first IDF European race of the 2014 season in Almabtrieb. You can check the full event report here, it was awesome.
After the race was done and party was had my trip mates and I headed to Stuttgart. I was travelling with part of my skate family: German downhill rider, LGC Austria ambassador & my twisted sister Glori Kpusch; SkateHouseMedia & Landyatchz’s guru Pat Schep (he also happens to be one the of the best people in the scene) and All-American downhill rider, selfie lover and owner of the best wardrobe in downhill skateboarding Billy Bones.
Pat, Glori, Billy & me. As dysfunctional as possible.
Billy’s flight was departing from Stuttgart so hanging out the last day over there made sense. We hit the skatepark and I eat shit on my first line. Six hours later an ambulance was picking me up while my friends were trying to find a way to soothe my pain groans.
Hi everyone
This was a special night for many reasons. Mostly cause it was our last night all together. The trip has been super fun and we all live in different countries. Despite being regular travelers we don’t know when we will hang out again.
So at that moment, when something like this happens and you realize all your short or medium term plans are crashed as well you can’t help but panic and think WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK FUCK THIS FUCKING SHIT WHAT THE FUCK ARGHHHH.
I got hospitalized in Stuttgart and got my MRI done. The doctors’ opinion would change every day and happily the diagnose got better for me and my knee. Surgery was no longer inevitable and despite the size and color of my knee I left the hospital thinking I would be back on board soonish than later.
Hello, beauty.
yep.
During those days in the hospital I had to make the unavoidable call to my mom telling her “sit down, don’t panic for what I’m gonna say but I’ve been hospitalized in Germany for three days now” I was talking to her and I felt her concern and yes, a little anger. She couldn’t understand why I keep putting myself in these situations, she can’t understand why I couldn’t wait to recover to jump back on my board… she was so upset until I said “Mom, not being able to do this is what would kill me, living life in a couch watching TV would kill me faster than this”. And so she understood.
Pat & Glori stayed with me for some days to take care of me and take me out to photosynthesis.
They took me to the cemetery
and that made me really happy
We are skateboarders. Despite our skills, we are skateboarders. We dream on being on a board as much as we can. We have something in our lives that fill so many gaps and provide us with so much joy that most of the times I wonder how other people live without something like this on theirs.
If five days in the hospital, nine months of rehab and some serious pain is the prize I have to pay for living life the way I do, for having the ridiculous moments of joy skateboarding and longboarding provide me, for meeting all the beautiful souls around the world I am lucky enough to run into and be able to reach people I would have never dreamed of, then I’ll pay double. I’ll pay whatever it takes. It’s all worth it.
One year later, I’m as recovered as I could be despite the permanent damage in my knee. I slowly started longboarding a couple of months after the accident and it took me 9 months to start skateboarding again. That first drop in was glorious. And scary. And awesome. I thought I’ve lost it but to be honest, it felt like I’ve never left.
First day skateboarding after the accident and 9 months rehab
Whatever you do in life, make sure it’s something you like cause in the end that’s what keeps us going. Skate safe & stay positive, it makes all the difference.
For Glori, Pat, Billy, Tina, Fee, Weizi, Juan Luis, Carol, Elena, Ben, Alon & Fede. This wouldn’t be a happy story if it wasn’t for them.
Glori & Pat were there when most needed. Thank you kids <3
Valeria Kechichian