From the edge of life to the top of the slopes: How a Veteran redefined possibility
Imagine being at the edge of life just to arrive at the top of the slopes... Army Veteran Lafayette Ingram arrived at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center after a tragic motorcycle accident with low hopes. Now, nearly seven months later, he has just skied for the first time in his life.
On Aug. 2, 2024, the sun was high, the roads stretched ahead, and a sense of freedom pulsed through his veins as Ingram took his motorcycle out on a summer day. But in an instant everything changed, leaving him to confront an unforeseen challenge.
Ingram leaned into a sharp turn near Interstate 270 in Columbus, Ohio, when his front tire slipped crossing the painted road line, causing him to lose control. He said he does not remember the impact, only the moment before thinking — "oops" and everything went black.
When he came to, a stranger was kneeling beside him. "Hey buddy, we need to call 911," the man said.
Dazed, Ingram blinked. He couldn't feel the devastation his body had endured. His right leg was gone. His left was hanging on by fragile threads of soft tissue. Yet, at that moment, he wasn't thinking about his body. He asked about his bike.
Moments later, Dr. Lisa Lombard, a former trauma-care provider, stopped, assessed his injuries, and immediately tried slowing the bleeding until first responders could reach him.
Ingram's blood pressure had dropped to a barely detectable level. His family and friends were notified and advised to prepare for the worst as doctors administered 19 units of blood in a desperate effort to keep him alive. However, against all odds, he pulled through.
A Veteran's Battle Beyond the Battlefield
Ingram is no stranger to discipline and resilience. He served on active duty from 1991 to 1994 and again in the National Guard from 1994 to 1996. But nothing could have prepared him mentally for the battle he was fighting, not in uniform but with himself.
"The first thing I remember is waking up and seeing my wife's face,” Ingram said. "She never left my side."
But the weight of his new reality hit hard. "I thought my life was over,” Ingram said. "I didn't want to be here anymore."
He spent weeks in the intensive care unit before moving to a regular hospital room. The hardest part wasn't the pain but relearning how to see himself. "When something this traumatic happens, you don't know what to do,” Ingram said. "I was lost. But the people around me wouldn't let me give up."
Rebuilding from the Ground Up
Three months after the accident, Lafayette arrived at the amputee clinic at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. He received custom prosthetic legs, was connected with peer support, and enrolled in the VA's four-week Amputee Boot Camp, where he received mental and physical help from therapists, who refused to let him settle for the impossible.
"They worked with me, taught me, and never let me give up,” Ingram said. "They were patient, supportive and always telling me: ’You can do this. Just take it one step at a time.'"
Ingram went from gripping parallel bars to taking tentative steps with a rolling walker. He slowly went from struggling with balance to sitting behind the wheel again, and then mastering hand controls. He did all this while doubting movement to embracing the belief that he could reclaim his life.
“Mr. Ingram is an example of why I entered the physical therapy field and profession,” said his primary therapist, A. “AJ” Jadwisiak. “I wanted to achieve outcomes people don't believe are possible following an accident and bring them to life.”
The Unexpected Challenge: Adaptive Skiing
"I didn't even know adaptive sports like this existed," Ingram said. Through the inspiration of his recreational therapist, he was inspired to begin meaningful activities including adaptive skiing. As he watched videos of other Veterans gracefully carving through the snow, a spark ignited within him.
Nerves crept in. Would he fall? Go too fast? Hit a tree? His mind raced. Yet, the resilient spirit that had helped him walk again ignited within him. He was determined to try.
On March 1 at Boston Mills Brandywine Ski Resort in Northfield, Lafayette hit the slopes for the first time. This time, not to regain function but to rediscover joy.
More Than Survival, He's Thriving
Lafayette went from fighting for his life to conquering new frontiers in less than a year. He's walking, driving and now skiing.
His next goal? Walking unassisted, getting back to work, and providing for his family.
For anyone struggling with the weight of recovery, he has one message: "Life isn't over,” he said. “Get support. Lean on people. Keep moving. Because the second you stop, that's when you really lose. And trust me, there's too much left to live for."