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High Fives awards grant to Truckee athlete after spinal cord injury

Special to the Sun
Jeff Andrews works with Jack Powell recently at the CR Johnson Healing Center in Truckee.
Courtesy High Fives Foundation |

TRUCKEE, Calif. — The High Fives Foundation recently awarded Truckee’s Jeff Andrews an Empowerment Grant to help aid in his recovery from a life-altering injury.

Andrews, 25, was snowboarding at Sugar Bowl Resort on March 15, 2014, when he overshot a jump and crashed, causing a C6 burst fracture with associated spinal cord injury and transverse process fractures at L1, L2 and L3, resulting in quadriplegia at the C5-C7 level.

Thanks to continued support from the High Fives Foundation, Andrews and his trainer Jack Powell are in the CR Johnson Healing Center in Truckee for four hours a day, six days a week.



The Empowerment Grant will go toward sessions of personal massage from renowned local massage therapist Karen Stubbs to help Andrews increase his blood flow and mobility.

“After three hours of physical training and fitness at the Healing Center, it is critical to mix in massage so that my body can recover appropriately,” said Andrews. “Karen is the best in the business, and her bodywork allows me to work so hard in the gym.”



“Jeff’s commitment to his recovery is exactly what it takes,” added Roy Tuscany, High Fives Foundation Executive Director. “He is in the Healing Center every single day, all day. He’s come a long ways since his initial injury, and with this work ethic, he can expect to keep improving his fitness, mobility and sensation.”

Since the High Fives Foundation’s January 2009 inception, the Empowerment program service has assisted 91 athletes from 20 states.

In 2015, High Fives set a budget of disbursing $266,000 via board-approved grants through the Empowerment Fund. The Foundation exceeded this goal and disbursed $339,209 in grant funding toward the recovery goals of athletes with life-altering injuries.

This article was submitted by the High Fives Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the dreams of mountain action sports athletes by raising injury prevention awareness while providing resources and inspiration to those who suffer life-altering injuries. Visit highfivesfoundation.org to learn more.


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