Skiing, yoga, rock climbing ... these were just a few of the activities that Kendra Erhardt loved to do. One minute in March, the 27-year-old was looking forward to a day of catching powder on the ski hill in Jasper. The next minute changed her life forever.
“She caught a little air, caught a little edge, couldn’t stop herself until the tree stopped her, and it unfortunately snapped her lower spine,” explained Michelle Parker, one of Erhardt’s close friends.
The tumble broke three of her ribs and it broke her back in two places. Her spinal cord was in bad shape.
Paralyzed from the accident, the young woman returned to Edmonton immediately for surgery and other treatments. She is now nearing the end of her stay at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. By all accounts, she still has a lot going for her with a strong body from having lived an active life to having a positive attitude that will certainly prove to buoy her spirits during this trying period.
“Her spirits are amazing ... she's a very, very positive person. She still radiates that out whenever you see her interacting with anybody.”
She also has a healthy contingent of dedicated friends who are there to help in whatever way they can. Parker came to know the effervescent Erhardt when the yoga instructor signed up to teach some classes at Parker’s FX3 Fitness studio in Riel Park.
Parker and the FX3 team are now working to do something special to help their friend make some changes in her house, provide for her physiotherapy, and add some much needed equipment like wheelchairs and a van with a wheelchair lift. They’re looking at raising $120,000 for all these items and more. A crowdfunding campaign at www.gofundme.com/6z2b17c has already surpassed half of that goal.
Such a tall order means working on something totally different, and something with a personal touch for the team.
“I'm just hoping that we can contribute as much as we can to support her. When you take into consideration the renovations at the home, she's probably going to need a couple of different wheelchairs, she's going to need a new car, she's going to need to get that car adapted to her ... all those expenses, plus just her continued rehabilitation over the next upcoming years, as she learns to live differently.”
They’re preparing to host YoRun on Saturday, June 22 to help with the fundraising. It’s a triathlon of sorts, though with a fun angle that includes 15 minutes of zumba, followed by a trail walk-run-wheel, and ending off with 45 minutes of yoga on the grass. They will also be selling lava stone bracelets that Erhardt made herself as a budding jewelry designer.
“I was going to play around with ‘tri-fit-athlon’ but I figured people aren't going to be able to Google that very easily,” she joked.
It’s going to be family friendly and totally wheelchair accessible as well. Parker admitted that it’s a bit of a stretch to plan and co-ordinate something like this. She is asking the public for their assistance in event planning, especially those who have experience in hosting programs with a high accessibility component. She also hopes to sign up a few more event volunteers as well. People can email her at [email protected].
More details on the event can be found at www.events.runningroom.com/site/16368/yorun-2019.
