GB snowboarder told she'd never walk again 'felt like bag of bones'

Maisie Hill nearly died in 2023 after crashing into a “wall of ice” during training, now she’s training for the Olympics

Snowboard sensation Maisie Hill has made a miraculous return to the slopes, training for the upcoming Winter Olympics, defying doctors' grim prognosis from just two years prior that she might never walk again. The Cheltenham native suffered a harrowing accident while practising a routine trick, slamming into an "ice wall" at breakneck speed.

The crash left her with a catalogue of serious injuries: broken vertebrae and ribs, a punctured lung, a significant brain bleed, and a lacerated liver that nearly claimed her life due to massive blood loss. Maisie described the aftermath as feeling like "a bag of bones that someone had picked it up and was jangling", but this harrowing experience hasn't deterred her; instead, she cherishes each run as a testament to her good luck

Introduced to snowboarding at age eight by her father on the hills behind their Cheltenham home, Maisie didn't immediately warm to the sport after they relocated to Morzine in the French Alps two years later. Reflecting on those early days, she shared with PA Real Life: "I didn't love snowboarding at first. But my dad always said I would be really good at it. I owe so much to his belief in me."

Her talent was undeniable, and by 16, Maisie was scouted by GB Snowsport for their youth programme in Laax, Switzerland. At 18 when she missed out on selection for the British World Cup squad, but this only fuelled her resolve to hone her craft further.

In the summer of 2021, she dedicated herself to daily practice on a Swiss glacier, juggling jobs as a cleaner and barista while living in a tent to scrape by. By the following year, the tenacious 21 year old had earned her stripes to represent Britain at the World Cup, securing an impressive seventh place.

Riding high from her World Cup experience, she returned to Laax for training, filled with a fresh zeal and passion for snowboarding. It was during these preparations that disaster struck.

Maisie said: "It was a foggy day and I was tired. I was just doing one last run before the tournament the following day. I don't know how, but I was going extremely fast and I slipped off a rail. I slammed into an ice wall."

The aftermath was dire; airlifted to hospital, Maisie was bombarded with a litany of injuries from doctors who doubted she'd ever walk again. She shared: "I remember the doctor listing all the injuries I had. It was horrible how many there were, it just went on and on. I was crying, wishing they'd stop talking."

Post-surgery, the first flickers of movement in her toes signalled hope. Moving back to Cheltenham with her mum, Maisie embarked on Team GB-approved physiotherapy. However, regaining her strength proved to be a deeply emotional battle.

Reflecting on the physical and emotional toll, she revealed: "They'd cut open my stomach, and my abs must have stored all my trauma because the first few times I tried to do a sit-up, I cried so emotionally."

Amidst her recuperation, an email from the Olympic Solidarity programme landed in her inbox, announcing a grant awarded to her after GB Snowsport put her name forward. She recalled: "I thought it was a scam at first. But it was life-changing. I don't think my parents could have continued funding me. Suddenly I thought, 'I'm going to do this!' It's amazing. If you work hard enough, help will come."

In October 2023, Maisie travelled to New Zealand with her squad and startled her coach with the speed of her first descent. Remarkably, less than twelve months following her catastrophic accident, Maisie was competing in World Cup events again.

However, progress wasn't as swift as before; a sports psychologist observed that the mental scars from her accident were still taking their toll. Maisie said: "When I'd have a bad run, I'd be angry with myself."

But she discovered a technique that transformed her mindset: "But I found this method, that every time I get back to the top, I find some reason to smile. When I'm smiling, I'm the best version of myself."

By March, Maisie secured fifth place at an Austrian World Cup and is well on her way to qualifying for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics next February. She reflected on the impact of her approach: "I remember my family watching a tournament on TV when I was younger and they said that I was the only one smiling."

This practice serves as a reminder for her: "Doing it reminds me to make the most of my time and not waste it, and it reminds me that I just love snowboarding. It really works."