Support for Jeremy Blyth

On the morning of August 16th one of Big Sky's valued community members, Jeremy Blyth, took a 100+foot fall while rock climbing in the backcountry of Big Sky. Jeremy is widely known in our community for his dedication to Big Sky Search and Rescue, as a board member of the Big Sky Food Bank, a member of All Saints in Big Sky, a previous volunteer with the Big Sky Association of the Arts, one of the Big Sky School Districts’s favorite bus drivers, father of two beautiful daughters and beloved husband of Pastor Miriam Schmidt. The fall happened while Jeremy was reaching the top of the final pitch of his climb when he came up over an edge and saw a [phone redacted]lb boulder in front/above him. He touched the boulder only for it to slightly move. He quickly took two steps to get out of its way before it came crashing down. The boulder fell in advance of Jeremy and into the rope he was attached to. It then ripped out some of the protective pieces of gear that should have caught Jeremy higher up. He then tumbled down the rock face until his climbing partner was able to "catch" him significantly lower than where his partner was held with his own protective gear. Within a short time the Search and Rescue team was there to "package" him up and the Heli Rescue Team short-hauled him to the Big Sky Resort area Fire Station. Jeremy was then life-flighted first to the Bozeman hospital and then onto St. Vincent’s in Billings.

The list of Jeremy's injuries is substantial! His spine was crushed at several locations, and he sustained many (the doctor said an "impressive" amount) broken ribs- both in his chest and back, a broken elbow, two collapsed lungs, and two broken scapulas.

As of today, Jeremy has had a 6 hour spinal surgery where they put in screws from vertebrae T6 through L2 and inserted multiple screws and two rods to stabilize his spine. He has also had surgery on his elbow, and chest tubes were placed to help his collapsed lungs.

To say that Jeremy is lucky to be alive is an understatement. He and Miriam are hopeful they will be back in Big Sky by mid-September. The doctors tell him that ideally, in a year or more, he will undergo additional surgeries to remove the screws and rods in his back after his vertebrae have had a chance to fuse. That is just the beginning. During this first year Jeremy will need countless physical and occupational therapy sessions, follow up appointments and potentially, more procedures.

Jeremy and Miriam are beyond grateful for the Big Sky Search and Rescue Team and the doctors and nurses in both Billings and Bozeman. They are grateful that Jeremy did not sustain severe head injuries because he was wearing a helmet, and mostly they are grateful that the boulder didn't kill Jeremy or his climbing partner and they are alive to tell their story.

The Schmidt-Blyth family is aware they will need to travel back and forth from Billings and possibly other regional medical facilities for additional surgeries and follow-up appointments as well as rehabilitation therapy and who knows what else! ? Their family needs our help to continue to move forward in their journey. Even with medical insurance (for which they are grateful!) out-of-pocket

co-payments for life-flight expenses, and ongoing medical and travel bills will be tremendous. Sadly, Jeremy will not be able to return to work for multiple months. Miriam will return back to her ministry shortly after Jeremy returns home. It is their hope that the girls will return to a somewhat "normal" life while Jeremy recovers.

Friends of Big Sky and friends around the world (we know they have many!) of Jeremy's — please do what you can to support their family. Any amount is helpful! You can read more of Jeremy's climbing fall and his first two weeks of intense medical treatment on this Caring Bridge link. https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jeremyblyth