WINTER PARK, Colo. — Mackinzie "Kinzie" Dickman is still working hard to carve her place on the slopes, even after a devastating car crash changed her life trajectory.
Whether it's her home mountain in Snowshoe, West Virginia, or the slopes of Winter Park, Kinzie has been barreling down ski runs since she was a toddler. Her parents introduced her to skiing at 2 years old, and over the next two decades, Kinzie's time on the mountain and skill in snow sports would grow.
Growing up in West Virginia, she spent countless hours on the slopes, savoring quiet moments in the snow and evergreens. But that joy faced a harsh interruption when a car crash resulted in severe brain and spinal injuries.
Initially misdiagnosed—doctors overlooked a brain bleed—Dickman experienced a deterioration in her mobility over a year after her crash.
"The hospital missed a brain bleed, and I walked for a year and a half before my mobility became affected. And then I started walking like I was in quicksand," she said.
Transitioning to life in a wheelchair brought profound challenges. She underwent multiple therapies to regain basic skills and adapt to her new reality. Despite these setbacks, her passion for skiing remained unwavering. Dickman sought out a "sit-ski," an adaptive ski designed for individuals with disabilities, pushing through the frustrations and obstacles that came with it.
"I really didn't understand that not being able to use half my body or know where it's at was going to affect me that much. I was like, 'I'm a skier. I'm a snowboarder. I love snow. It's sliding on snow. How hard can it be to sit?' Sit-skiing is a completely different sport," said Dickman.
Her commitment enabled her to push her skills beyond what she thought possible.
“I've progressed more than I ever thought I was capable of, but it's due to the fact that I've surrounded myself with the correct support that I've needed,” Dickman said.
That support includes her involvement with the National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD), where she not only receives training but also teaches as an adaptive ski instructor, helping others on similar journeys.
At NSCD, Dickman finds fulfillment by guiding those hesitant to try sit-skiing.
"I can bring up points that maybe a standing instructor hasn't thought about because I know exactly what it's like to be in that sit-ski and to be a beginner, too,” she explained. “It wasn't that long ago that I was in their spot.”
Her unique perspective builds confidence among her students, many of whom face anxieties about adaptive sports.
“There's nothing that can stop you in life. You just have to try,” Dickman said.
Training rigorously with her NSCD team, Dickman is determined to compete for the U.S. Paralympic team. In addition to adaptive recreation, the NSCD provides training for competitive athletes like Dickman.
“We are all working and training together under a head coach, hitting the gym afterward, doing video analysis,” she said.
Dickman’s journey embodies the spirit of perseverance that defines the adaptive sports community.
"I want someone to be able to trust the fact that there's a process in sit skiing and that we have to do it in a safe way to get you where you need to be,” she said.
For Dickman, conquering the sit-ski transcends the slopes.
“I love being outside. You have to keep going with the things that keep you who you are,” she said.
If you'd like to see Kinzie and other adaptive racers compete, you can stop by Winter Park Resort from February 20 to 22 for the 49th Annual Wells Fargo Ski Cup. The three-day event is the longest-running professional ski race in the country and serves as the largest fundraiser for the National Sports Center for the Disabled.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.