Revenge promoter hospitalized in MTB fall

Print Friendly Email This Story Click to Enlarge Byron Swezy Special to the Daily/Bob Scott More From Sports Fisher: Hot talent, cool head 1-9 to 5-5: Tigers beat Sheridan to finish at .500 Shelden wins high school MTB state championship Teamwork pays off for SHS gymnastics Uhlaender slides into international spotlight The end to a high school career as we know it Team Five powers past Tex's in Breck volleyball Niwot eliminates Summit in state quarters

BY RICHARD CHITTICK and DEVON O'NEIL
October 22, 2004

FRISCO - Montezuma's Revenge promoter Byron Swezy was briefly paralyzed after a mountain bike fall on Wednesday, and remains hospitalized at St. Anthony's Hospital in Denver.

Swezy, 37, suffered a spinal cord contusion while riding on the Frisco peninsula with a friend. In what he said Friday was a "fluke wreck," he crashed coming around a switchback and landed head first on a rock, shattering his helmet.

Swezy said he'd been over the same section of trail "dozens of times."

Using a cell phone to call 911 with the help of his friend, Swezy was able to alert the Summit County Rescue Group and was evacuated to safety.

He said he was paralyzed from the neck down for almost an hour, but that he's regained feeling and motion in all of his extremities except his right hand.

Although in stable condition, Swezy said he'll have surgery to remove the discs between his C3 and C4, and C5 and C6 vertebrae. The doctors will then fuse each set of vertebrae together using cadaver bone.

Swezy said a lot is still riding on the success of the procedure, but he considers himself fortunate regardless.

"Trust me, it's lucky," he said, noting that the key was that he was wearing a helmet. "It could've been worse."

Not making matters any easier was the fact that on Monday Swezy's wife, Tracy, gave birth to the couple's first child.

On Friday, Tracy was sure to thank all of the community members who have come forward to help.

Byron agreed, specifically praising the work of the rescue group and paramedics who helped stabilize him in the critical time that followed the fall.

"They are essential tools to the community," he said. "I'm living proof."

For those who would like to contact Byron, he said he'll probably remain at St. Anthony's for the next few weeks, but can be reached at (303) 629-3511, room 288. He also can be reached by e-mail, at byron@coloradobikeandski.com.

Finally, he said, "If you're in Denver swing by and say hi, for sure. I'll be bored off my butt."

Byron Swezy produces Montezuma's Revenge, a 24-hour solo mountain bike race held in Montezuma each summer. The grueling race has gained international renown, in part because it forces competitors to hike over two Fourteeners in the early morning hours.