This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
An extreme-sports athlete who broke his neck in a helicopter crash in Russia last month has returned to his home in Utah.
During a heli-skiing trip down a volcanic mountain on Russia's Kamchatka Penninsula on April 18, a gust of wind caused the helicopter carrying 60-year-old Mike Trabert and his friends to crash. Trabert was taken to a hospital in remote southeastern Russia.
Trabert arrived back to Utah on Thursday and was cleared to go home Monday, according to updates written by his wife on a fundraising site.
"Words cannot express how deeply grateful we are to have Mike home with the prospects of a full recovery," his family wrote in a statement. "This will be a long and slow recovery, but with rest, rehabilitation and physical therapy, we hope he will get back to the life that he loves."
A University of Utah neurosurgeon and neck specialist recommended that Trabert wear a neck brace at all times for three months "to see if his neck can fuse on its own, keeping his mobility intact," according to the statement.
"If [Trabert were] any other 60-year-old, he would do surgery right away," Trabert's wife, Dinny Trabert, wrote on a fundraising page. "But since Mike is so active and wants to get back to his active lifestyle, he recommended not doing surgery now.
"The surgery could limit his mobility up to 50-60 percent. He wants to see if Mike's neck will fuse on its own if kept totally immobile over the next three months."
The doctor will then determine whether surgery is necessary, the statement said.
Trabert's family set up an online fundraising page, which raised nearly $120,000 to bring him home from Russia.
The family has been "overwhelmed and humbled by the outpouring of love and support from family, friends, colleagues and even strangers who wanted to help," the statement said.
Twitter: @mnoblenews