By Lyonel Doherty, Times Chronicle
A male nurse from Oliver is determined to return to work, even in a wheelchair, after suffering a devastating climbing accident in July.
Ward Jensen, 58, is slowly recuperating from a 40-foot fall onto rocks during a climbing excursion at Skaha Bluffs in Penticton on July 5.
It was like any other day for Jensen following his passion for climbing. But one mistake changed everything.
“Where you get hurt is not going up but going down,” Jensen said with a pause from his hospital bed in Vancouver.
“In rappelling, you have to have both ends [of the rope] to ground, and I’m pretty sure I didn’t [check that].”
That missed detail resulted in a freefall that subsequently severed his spine, leaving him a paraplegic. He also suffered a head wound that took 42 staples to close, a torn shoulder, a tear in his carotid artery, and many broken ribs.
“I’m lucky that I don’t recall much,” said Jensen, who only remembers seeing search and rescue and paramedics on scene.
“It was 100 per cent preventable. It was 100 per cent my fault. It’s one little mistake and it’s game over.”
Jensen has been rock climbing for the past 15 years. He describes it as a social sport, a personal challenge to overcome your weaknesses.
“You don’t go home with one team losing and one team winning. In the end it has no meaning, it’s like, ‘holy crap, that was fun.”
Jensen said style counts when climbing to the top.
“When you see the really good climbers it is inspiring how they dance up rather than struggle up on routes I could never do.”
As Jensen takes stock of his life, he realizes how fortunate he was to survive.
“I’m grateful this happened at 58 and not 20 because at least I’ve had some pages in my chapter [of life].”
But the fact his climbing career is over is sad, he admitted.
The former auxiliary firefighter with a master’s degree in engineering still has the use of his upper body. His goal is to return to work as an licensed practical nurse (LPN) at McKinney Place in Oliver.
After caring for his mother who suffered a stroke, Jensen thought he would do well in long-term care.
“I see the same residents every day; you get to know them. The more you know your patient, you can provide better care.”
Ward Jensen suffered a devastating fall in July and is now looking ahead to recovery and returning to work as a nurse.
Contributed photo
Jensen hopes to return home in October following more treatment and rehabilitation. His brother Brett started a GofundMe page to help pay for a wheelchair and ramp.
Brett said people have reached out wanting to help reduce Ward’s financial burden during recovery.
“As Ward’s wife will be supporting him through his recovery, they will have little or no income to get by on, especially while he is in the hospital.”
One of Ward’s neighbours, a widow, told the Times Chronicle that he has helped her on several occasions with projects around the house, but he never charged a dime.
This X-ray shows Ward’s spinal injury after the fall.
Contributed photo
