Today's New York Times had an amazing article in the Sports Section about Darren Chiacchia's recovery. Here are two photos from the article by NYT photographer, Chris Livingston. Last March, he almost died when a horse, Baron Verdi, stumbled over a fence during competition in eventing and pinned him beneath. He suffered broken bones, a punctured lung and a severe brain injury.
He was in a coma and his injuries were so extensive that he and his family conflict over just when he came out of the coma. His mother and sister say that he regained consciousness within about a week, but that he was childlike, confused, and unable to understand what was going on. He said that he was in a coma for 42 days. But everyone agrees that he was quite diminished until somehow an "internal switch" just triggered and he was much like his old self.
And in fact, just last week, he won second place with his most accomplished horse, Windfall II, at the Rocking Horse Advanced and Training Horse Trials in Altoona, Florida. Though his serious accident happened in March, he was already competing by July, though the start was slow. After two months, he got onto Windfall and had his groom lead him quietly around the farm, for his first adventure. He owns two farms, one in Springville, New York and the other in Ocala, Florida.
He used to earn his living by competing, selling horses, and training students, but his accident caused some sad changes in his life -- many of his students went to new trainers, his secretary of 26 years left, and his companion of 10 years left. So, now he makes much of his living selling horses, as he tries to get back to Olympic-level quality. In fact, he hopes to compete in 2012 at the London Olympics. And given that he helped the U.S. win a bronze in Eventing in the 2004 Olympics and that he is only 44 years of age now, he is likely to make it.
I just find this story amazing and wish him so many wishes for his rehabilitation and business success. He is such a high profile rider and his accident came after 12 deaths in eventing competitions in the year and a half before. And in 2007, Ralph Hill, also of world-caliber fame, suffered a two-month coma after a similar debilitating riding accident. Their injuries really shocked the eventing world and now they are trying to assess what to do to make that sport more safe. They are putting careless riders on "watch lists," making fewer jumps per course, and researching the efficacy of breakaway fences. Chiacchia would very much like the sport to be more aggressive about making breakaway fences. He has become a very important advocate for safety in eventing.
Of Chiacchia's drive, ambition, and energy, Ralph Hill, who is not competing, but is back to riding and teaching said, "What Darren did was he acted like a competitor; he wanted to show everybody that he could still compete. Right now, if you saw him riding, I believe that you would probably say he's a good rider, but wonder how many years he's been in the sport."
I have been blessed to see both Chiacchia and Hill compete at the Kentucky Rolex. They are rogues, rock stars, cowboys at that event, just bristling with talent, composure and confidence. In fact, Hill would wear sunglasses like he was a true movie hero! So, many blessings to them as they heal and continue in their equestrian work. And thank you for what Chiacchia told the NYTreporter which helped me think about my own life a bit differently. He said, "When I first woke up, I remember saying and feeling, I just want my life back. And then I thought, you know, that was a good life. But I don't want that life back. I have the opportunity to create a new life. And that's the essence of my being now."