Phillip Case: The Greenman who beat the odds

On February 18,2023, what started as a routine day of skiing for Phillip Case and Carter Bates took a catastrophic turn. Little did they know that this seemingly routine trip down the mountain would alter Phillip's life forever. 

Phillip recounts the morning of the accident vividly,  starting with a morning filled with excitement as they (he and Carter) hit the slopes. Hours flew by as they carved through the snow until the lifts closed at 4:20 p.m. Undeterred, they continued their adventure into the evening, eventually gearing up for a sled ride down the mountain. 

Phillip retells the moments leading up to the accident, “Then at about 9 we went to gear up for a sled ride down the mountain, which we had done many times before without issue. As we were heading out the door I put my helmet and goggles on and put on a headlight. We spent about 30 minutes walking up the hill. It's about 500 feet of vertical change. Once we got to the top I sat on my sled feet first and that's the last thing I remember. The rest of the story is from the first responders. I went down the hill and there was a slight curve in the ski run. I did not make the turn and collided with a 6 inch thick steel pole going 35 mph. I likely passed out right after the collision but a couple minutes later Carter was able to call me and I picked up.” 

Phillip's sled failed to make a turn, leading to a catastrophic collision with a steel pole at 35 mph. The impact left him with 23 broken bones, including severe injuries to his femur, pelvis, spine, face, and skull. A traumatic brain injury and a severe brain bleed further compounded the gravity of the situation.

The road to recovery was long and arduous. From emergency surgery to months of rehabilitation, Phillip faced each milestone with unwavering determination. Despite setbacks and challenges, he persevered, slowly regaining mobility and cognitive function. Phillip recalls having to relearn writing, walking, and speaking. He remembers his first milestones in recovery. He details, “11 days after I took my first step, 2 weeks after I was able to walk 100 feet with crutches, 4 weeks after I returned home and was able to walk unassisted, 6 weeks after I returned to school and worked for half days. I also rode my bike for the first time around this time. 3 months after I did my first cycling race and got dead last a race I had previously placed 3 in. 4 months after i completed a 100 mile bike ride and got dead last as well. 5 months after i traveled to Colorado and Utah and rode one of the most iconic mountain bike trails, the full enchilada. 6 months after i started my senior year with a full schedule including AP classes and i have done pretty good in them. Exactly 1 year after the accident I went skiing back at holimont and skied with the ski patrolers that saved my life.” 

The support of the Aurora community played a crucial role in Phillip's journey. From the adaptive school system to the outpouring of love and encouragement from friends and family, he felt buoyed by their unwavering support. However, he also grappled with the invisibility of his struggles—a common plight for those living with traumatic brain injuries. Phillip shows his strength in more ways than one; he spoke of the emotional struggles of going through a major injury and how he has had to grapple with the weight of reality. “All in all though I have grappled all these emotions very well, all of the sadness, fear and ptsd I  experience are short lived and have been trumped by gratefulness that I get to live a second life.” 

Emotionally, Phillip wrestled with the fragility of life and the profound impact of his accident. The experience instilled in him a deep sense of gratitude for the second chance he was given. While he acknowledges the lingering fear and sadness, he finds solace in his newfound perspective on life.

Looking ahead, Phillip is preparing for his next challenge—a solo bike ride across America to raise funds for Love Your Brain, an organization dedicated to supporting those affected by traumatic brain injuries. 

Phillip shared his plans for his cross country bike ride. “So the current plan is to start right after graduation  at virginia beach and then ride across the country to astoria oregon. The ride is about 4300 miles and I will ride 50~100 miles per day for 70 days. I am currently working with the rotary club to possibly organize places for me to stay if I don't want to camp that day, but otherwise I will be camping and carrying all my gear and cooking my own food. This is something that I'm not quite sure I can accomplish. I have done very long rides in the past such as riding 1000 miles across Oregon and California and doing a 27 hour ride from Pittsburgh to near Washington DC along with hundreds of other races and bike packing rides. But these were all before my accident and are much shorter than 4300 so I will try my best and see what happens.” 

The 4300-mile journey symbolizes his on going commitment to raising awareness and giving back to others in need.As he gears up for the ride of a lifetime, Phillip reflects on the transformative power of adversity. While he cannot change the past, he embraces the opportunity to turn his experiences into positive action, inspiring others to persevere in the face of adversity.

Please show some support for Phillip as he takes this great feat as he goes through his adventure through his fundraiser here. To learn more about his story check out his dad's blog here! 

By Maddie Lancon