Update on Will Ibsen’s injuries

 
Will IbsenI emailed Bill Isben, father of 2008 National #3 Pro Will Ibsen, for an update on Will’s injuries sustained while competing in NY on Sunday. Here’s his reply:

Cat,

Thanks for asking about how Will is doing. Since several folks are asking, here’s a recap.

Here’s what happened: Will flipped off a 1.5-2-story high steep, rutted out waterfall hillside and landed hard on his head/shoulder area in the shale-bottomed creek, and then the bike flipped off the hillside and landed directly on his back and head. It took about 15 medics and firemen to strap/immobilize him to a backboard/sled and hoist him up the waterfall to get to the Mule for transport to the ambulance.

We just drove in from NY late last night, and are going to the doctor here in Atlanta today to schedule an MRI, CATSCAN, etc. Looks like possible broken shoulder blade, possible torn rotator cuff, and multiple forehead lacerations stitched up with steri-strips. Final diagnosis of the actual extent of injury will be after the tests.

We are grateful to God that there appear to be no head, neck, or spine injuries, which was our biggest concern at the time.

He looks pretty banged up – like he’d been in quite the fist-fight and clearly lost, but he’s doing fine; he’s on pain killers and is wearing a sling, but is otherwise in good spirits. Wasn’t quite the way we wanted to end the 2009 season, to say the least!

Bill