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There’s something about Myreh

Vail resident Myreh Luallen survived a broken back and fractured skull after crashing while skiing on Closing Day. Her friends have set up a fund to help with her recovery at www.gofundme.com/4xzr5fq8.

It was supposed to be the bookend on a dream season on Vail Mountain, but for ski instructor Myreh Luallen, Closing Day turned into a nightmare.

No one is certain what happened, but when local Brian Little found her, it looked like she had hit a fence post.

“She was in a bad situation,” Little said.



He called Ski Patrol and assisted in her rescue. She was admitted to the Vail Valley Medical Center and quickly transferred to a spinal surgery specialist in Denver. She had skull fractures, spinal fractures, eight broken ribs, a fractured scapula, fractured clavicle and multiple facial fractures.

“It was really severe, but she was still moving her legs and everything,” said Luallen’s boyfriend, Justin DiNardo. “So we were staying positive.”

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There were a few tense moments, but by the next morning those closest to Luallen knew she was going to be OK.

“The spine surgery was the same day as the accident,” DiNardo said. “So by the next morning, after everything went well in that surgery, I knew from there she was going to be all good. She’s extremely lucky.”

Luallen’s friends sprung to action.

“We were all extremely worried for her,” said Craig Woods. “My first reaction is always to see what we can do to help. She had plenty of friends and family and love around her. I think the one thing that was going to be missing was the funds to pay for her treatment.”

Woods started a donation page at http://www.gofundme.com/4xzr5fq8.

“It’s really clear to anyone who knows her how sweet a person she is, caring, loving young girl, she just needs all the support that we can give her,” he said. “She has a lot of passion for skiing, I hope that she’s able to get back to that level.”

Luallen started the season at Vail by skinning up the mountain early the morning of Nov. 20 to be the first person to ride the new six-seat Chair 2 this season, along with four other locals.

DiNardo said they had a great season together, skiing with friends and enjoying all the snow Vail received this season. They were on the mountain on Closing Day, but DiNardo had to call it a day earlier than Luallen. The next thing he heard, she was in the hospital.

“Everybody came out of the woodwork,” DiNardo said. “It definitely opened her eyes, as far as how big our community is here in Vail, I don’t think she had any idea that this many people cared this much about her.”


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