Help Brandon Scheid recover from serious accident

At 5:44p on November 25th, news spread like wildfire between a family of friends in the infamous Gorge of Hood River, Oregon. Brandon Scheid, a professional kiteboarder and husband to Sensi Graves, has been in a serious accident and was life flighted to Vancouver, WA.

Brandon, a “super human” athlete, famous for holding several champion titles in kiteboarding along with being frustratingly good at pretty much everything he does, took up paragliding several years ago. His love of adrenaline, innate understanding of weather patterns, and overall meticulous body awareness had him literally soaring to great heights in the sport.

At this time, it’s unknown exactly how the incident unfolded, but Brandon’s “wing” clipped a tree, causing him to lose control and sending him down a 500ft cliff. By the grace of all God’s, Brandon’s good friend and fellow flying partner was there to witness this traumatic event and rushed to his side. Immediately calling for emergency helicopter support and attempting to contact Sensi, Brandon’s wife.

Sensi Graves, Brandon’s other half and a professional athlete herself, was on a work trip in Canada. Upon hearing the devastatingly frightening news, Sensi immediately began her journey home — and is landing in PDX as this account of events is being written, (with tears in my eyes).

What we know at this time is that Brandon is 1 in a million. Not only did he survive an incredulous fall, but he is in stable condition. After CT scans at South East Vancouver Hospital, he was transported to OSHU, where specialists will be monitoring him around the clock in the ICU. Brandon has a lengthy list of broken bones, but his neck and back were protected by the back brace and helmet that he was wearing. He will minimally need reconstructive surgery on his face and the extent of his brain injury is yet to be determined. He is currently being kept sedated and in impressively good condition, considering what his body endured.

These are early days. The complete list of injuries, predicted time of recovery, potential surgeries, and assistance in recovery are yet to be determined. We do know, his insurance support is minimal. At this time, we ask for any heartfelt contribution to help create a pillar of support for Brandon and Sensi to lean on.

If you’re reading this, you are likely another “adrenaline junkie” member of this amazing tribe of athletes we call family. You know what it’s like to chase the wind, feel its power, know the risks, and continue to do it day after day. Your brother Brandon needs you and appreciates whatever you can do to help.

Contributions of course can be made through his GoFundMe me page and also sent directly to Sensi on Venmo @sensigraves.

Much love + Gratitude,

Jen Jones & Colleen Sabo