A Fun Family Day Turns Disastrous
“We hit it pretty hard… I came down on my butt and I fractured my L4 vertebrae.”
Christy Jenkins simply wanted to create a happy winter memory with her two young boys. She decided to join them for a sledding outing at a local golf course park in Charleston, West Virginia. Loaded into a boat-shaped sled together, they slid down the snowy hill while recording a video for fun. However, the sled caught a sudden dip in the frozen ground, causing a severe impact when they landed. Christy immediately felt sharp pain in her lower spine and realized she had suffered a major injury. Emergency responders arrived, but they initially minimized her distress and assumed she had merely knocked the wind out of herself. At the hospital, doctors confirmed that she had fractured her L4 vertebra, forcing her into a restrictive back brace for weeks.
A Hidden Medical Crisis and Self-Advocacy
“If you don’t speak up for yourself, they’ll kill you.”
While recovering from her spinal fracture, Christy began experiencing frightening new symptoms including slurred speech, facial numbness, and blurred vision. Some medical personnel repeatedly dismissed her condition, attributing her neurological distress to stress or a complex migraine. Refusing to accept that explanation, Christy advocated fiercely for her own health and demanded proper care. Neurological testing eventually revealed that the force of the sledding crash had collapsed a narrow blood vessel in her brain. This collapsed vessel caused dangerous fluid pressure buildup inside her skull and spine, threatening both her sight and her life.
Finding a Second Chance in the Mountain State
“I really want this to be my job, to just go and show the beauty.”
Christy underwent a crucial brain procedure where surgeons inserted a stent to open the obstructed blood vessel. The moment she woke up from surgery, her vision was restored and the intense intracranial pressure subsided. To regain hand motor skills during her rehabilitation, Christy started handwriting lists of local state parks, hiking trails, and waterfalls. What began as physical therapy exercises quickly grew into a newfound passion for exploring West Virginia alongside her sons. She started sharing their outdoor adventures on TikTok, which eventually led to a full-time career promoting regional tourism. Her traumatic experience ultimately transformed into a purpose-filled journey focused on family, community, and living life to the fullest.
Christy’s story is packed with emotion, humor, resilience, and incredible perseverance. To hear her recount every detail in her own words and share her message of hope, be sure to watch the full video interview.
