Michael Archer “Arch” and family

Michael Archer “Arch” left the house with his family Saturday morning, snow boards in hand.  Up to Meadows they went to do what they do most weekends, feed their spirit on the mountain.  Saturday would turn out to be a very different snow boarding trip.  Arch, an expert snowboarder, was taking a run when his board slipped in a patch of ice under the powder.  This flung him to his back with enough force to critically injure his spinal cord. He was taken to OHSU as a trauma patient and remains a patient in the ICU.  He has very little movement from the neck down.  The surgeons and medical Professionals paint a hopeful picture for the future but only after very intensive rehabilitation inpatient therapy.  As anyone could imagine, the toll this is taking on my friend, Shelly, Arch’s wife, and their four children, seems insurmountable.  With mounting medical bills and lack of income this go fund me has been created.  I am hopeful that we can raise enough money to let Shelly be near her husband on a regular basis to make sure he keeps his head in the game, stays strong, and keeps fighting for his rehabilitation.  Please help this sweet family fight this fight.  Anything will help.

In Shelly’s words:

-Arch does not have ability to answer/call/text. However, words of encouragement are crucial for his mental strength, he cannot respond unless Shelly is there to manage his phone. (I do not mind but I also don’t want to spend my time with him on the phones) please be understanding if I don’t respond.

-my mom & sister are here until Sunday 2/7, caring for the kids. (After that, I will need to clone myself into 3 people. One for Arch, kids & work).

-On Saturday Jan 30 we took the family snowboarding. Arch was riding with Georgia & Jaclyn. I was with Preston & Finley. Arch was taking a normal easy cruise with the girls down north canyon when he hit a gigantic ice boulder with his heel edge, hiding under the newly fallen snow, falling on his back. The fall resulted in instant paralysis. Georgia came upon him and thought the worst. She fell apart but managed to call Shelly. Jaclyn came on the scene like a champ, pulled it together & flagged ski patrol. Arch was taken via ambulance to OHSU. He had emergency surgery (laminoplasty) Saturday evening to decompress his cervical spinal cord. C2-3-4-5-6.

He’s at OHSU recovering then it is expected he will be placed in a rehab facility.

-He is strong. He will be back.

As he is essentially a prisoner in his own body right now and he is extremely emotionally unstable. He needs all the love & healing vibes.

 We don’t have the answers to how recovery will look. The most asked questions. And nobody knows right now. His spinal cord suffered trauma. It will take time.