Helmet-less

(*)

Few years ago I was working with this family and I was asked to go with them to Aspen, CO. I had to go do some work there, but the 1st day they decided to go do some mountain biking and I joined them.

We went mountain biking.

I had a wonderful time! I was going pretty well down the mountain, I didn't fall and when I got to the bottom of the mountain, I decided to do what the kids were doing. It looked like fun.

They were jumping up and down from some ramps that were there.

There were 3 ramps.

I went on the 1st ramp, 2nd ramp... 3rd ramp...

Everything was so boring coz I was going very slow... so I decided to make it a little faster.

Well...

First ramp I did ok.

The second ramp I did a little higher and when I came down I got ready to get on the 3rd ramp.

The third ramp was a shot of adrenaline :)

Little did I know about physics and all that goes with going faster and higher.

I did the ramp, went 10 feet into the air and the next thing I know I'm laying down on the floor and my life is flashing before my eyes. The kids were laughing and my boss were running to my side asking me if I was ok.

(*) the kids told me that's kinda the way I looked when I was coming down from the sky LOL

As you can see I'm still alive and nothing major happened to me (I only have 3 scars in my arm, knee and ankle).

I thought I was the 'Tony Hawk' of the bike... I actually said: 'if Tony Hawk can do it, so can I'.

Tony Hawk had Y.E.A.R.S. of experience. I was just a very stupid 27-year-old woman trying to act like a kid...

I didn't wear a helmet - BIG MISTAKE!

My thoughts are with Liam Neeson's family at this time of sorrow. (UPDATED 10.15pm)

She had an accident on Monday while skiing in Canada and she wasn't wearing a helmet. She had severe head injury that led her to be brain dead. She was flown to NY last night, and she died this afternoon in NYC.

May God give peace and strength to her husband and her two teenage sons.

Natasha Richardson
1963-2009