"While snowboarding, I went off a really big jump and missed the landing. I ended up landing flat, which snapped two bones in my ankle and I had to get escorted off the mountain by ski emergency. I've had two reconstructive surgeries since then."—Juli, Marina del Rey, CA
"I was having one of my best sessions ever when I saw this guy taking off on a wave in front of me, so I paddled to his left to avoid colliding with him when he cut back suddenly. I tried to duck-dive under his board but felt something hit my head hard and I saw stars. I kept surfing for about 30 minutes until I put my hand on my head and my fingers slipped into a big gash and came out bloody. I made it to the emergency room and received eight staples to the head. It was awesome."—Alison, Mar Vista, CA
"Learning how to vert skateboard. I tipped my board over the edge and thought I had my weight far enough forward but miscalculated—and bam! My head slammed into the back of the vert ramp and my hip took the weight. I got a black bruise the size of a football on my hip. The good news: I got back up the following week and tried again. This time I knew where to put my weight and it worked."—Kristine, Venice, CA
"I received a bad report card in high school and my parents took my surfboard away for 30 days and it BROKE MY HEART—does that count? Seriously, some kook let go of his board relying on his leash to go under a wave. His board flew back and stabbed me in my lower left back. The doctor said it was over an inch deep and looked like a stab wound from a knife. He had to pull neoprene out of my back before I got 8 stitches." —Mick, Venice, CA
"I was surfing really well on the Big Island of Hawaii and got a little cocky, taking off super-late on a set wave. Got hung up at the top and came down with the lip, just waiting to hit the reef. I got banged up a bit, and I still have a few faded scars on my low back from my reef tour. The funny thing is that my hubby says the scars look like the Hawaiian islands!"—Peggy, Aliso Viejo, CA
"I was smacked by the lip on the back of the head on a late take-off in Portugal, which gave me whiplash for almost a year."—Donna, Ventura, CA
"My worst accident was skiing: I broke my hip. But as far as surfing goes, it would have to be one time at Diamond Head, Oahu. I didn't heed warning and get out of the water before low tide and ended up on the reef with a nice head wound. What was a long paddle out was now mostly a walk across the reef to shore."—Thomas, Los Angeles, CA
Advertisement
Advertisement