On December 21, 2006, our photographer, best friend and brother Dave Genchi, suffered a serious spinal injury. While snowboarding with our guides, Dave took a surf turn, hit a rock, lost his balance, tumbled and  seriously injured his neck.  Our guides reacted immediately and we transported him safely off Buffalo Pass. 

Please read the information below; learn about Dave, keep posted and witness his progress in year two of his rehab.

If you can, please support and donate to Dave's recovery fund. Send your positive vibes his way at all times. You can email him via this link.

As of November of '07, Dave has relocated from Florida to Carlsbad, California. He has enrolled in a spinal rehabilitation program with the organization Project Walk. The progressive therapy program "exists to provide an improved quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries through intense exercise-based recovery programs, education, support and encouragement."

Click here to check out more photo's of Dave at Project Walk.

On July 5th, 2007, Dave moved from the Craig Hospital in Denver where he was since the first of the year, to Florida to be with his family and close friends in his hometown of Melbourne Beach. He is settling in and working on continuing his rehab.

The Steamboat Pilot and Today newspaper did a follow up story about Dave on July 1st.

Check out the article here on their website or the pdf here. Also on the Steamboat Pilots website, there are images and video from when they interviewed Dave for the article. The piece is excellent as it talks about Dave and another Steamboat local who was also injured here in Steamboat during the '06/07winter.

***The national and local support for Dave has been tremendous***

On March 21st, 2007, Big Head Todd and the Monsters played an almost sold out show at the Steamboat Grand Resort and Conference center. The crowd was amazing and everyone left the event buzzing with a great energy. We've posted additional information and images and video links from the event on our photo/video page which you must check out.

We ended up with over 225 raffle items and generated some good monies through the raffle and admission for Dave's recovery fund. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the event and to everyone for your generosity.

On Monday March 19th, Kent and Jules went down to see Dave to catch a final visit before the benefit. Dave mentioned that his thank you to everyone who has reached out to him will be in working harder than ever to get up and walk again. His attitude and positive approach was contagious and he is at peace with the situation. "Once you are peace with everything in your life, then you will have the tool to move forward and overcome any obstacles which may be limiting you today or in the future." Dave said.

Click here for a short video of the concert.

Click here to an updated article in the Steamboat Pilot on March 23rd.

There have been several other fundraiser's that are have support Dave and his family through this tough time. Steamboat Magazine hosted an online fundraiser titled the "Photographer's for Genchi". Check it out here or click on above banner.

The auction generated $6,500 dollars to the recovery fund.

On Feb. 28th, 2007 Don Tudor hosted a gathering for the Photographer's for Genchi auction. Click here for image gallery from the event.

 

In Melbourne Beach, Florida, also in New York and other venues across the State's, people have coming together for Dave - click here for all fundraiser details.

 

Dave is now at the Craig Hospital in Denver. He is in room 307 and the address to the Craig is 3425 S. Clarkson Street, Englewood, CO 80113 (please do not send flowers or gifts, just cards to his room).

He is settling in at the Craig and ready to tackle the long road of rehab. His attitude and energy remain positive and he's eager to get moving forward.

View Dave's page on Challenge Sports, his family is updating this regularly.

Link to update article from Steamboat Pilot on Jan 18 about Dave.

Check out images from the Jan 14th showing of "Boat Trip and "Boat Trippin" at the Steamboat Mountain Theater. Thank you to everyone who came out to give a big cheers to Genchi!

Images here from movie premiere.

 

Message originally posted late December: On December 21st, our photographer, best friend and brother Dave Genchi, suffered a serious spinal injury.

While snowboarding with our guides, Dave took a surf turn, hit a rock, lost his balance, tumbled and  seriously injured his neck.  Our guides reacted immediately and we transported him safely off Buffalo Pass.  A life flight ultimately transported him to St. Mary’s hospital in Grand Junction, CO where he is currently on the path to recover. Surgery was successful to stabilize the fractured vertebrae.