"It seems harsh to say, but before I got hurt I wasn't as
motivated as I am now," 24 year old Chad Dickson admits. "I was in perfect
health, I just didn't go out skating every day. I took things for granted.
After that accident, when I was watching people skate but wasn't able to, it
just put me in a whole different mind-state."
The scenario goes something like this: Chad ended 2008 with a
near-fatal strike by a car, then made it through a grueling multi-month
recovery only to tear ankle ligaments once he started skating again. He then
used a 4-month window to accomplish 2 serious magazine covers and film for his City
Of New Lights ender-part. Chad's truly had a banner year, and his
story epitomizes the resilient nature of a driven skateboarder.
Photo: Matt Forsythe
To recap, how did this
saga begin on December 1, '08?
I was at a birthday party in Abbotsford, BC and then decided
to walk back to my friend's place. It was dark and foggy and we were walking up
this massive hill when a Dodge Durango came out of the corner full-speed. My
friend just made it onto the sidewalk but the driver didn't see me, so he
full-on hit me. The truck hit me hard on the right side. The weird thing is my
right side was totally fine, other than chipping some bones in my arm. The
imprint of the Dodge symbol from the grill was on my leg. Apparently I was 15
feet in the air and did a cartwheel, then landed on my left arm and head. I
don't really remember any of it.
What were your injuries
exactly?
I hit my head so hard I got a stage-3 concussion. My lower
body was fine but my legs just felt like I got a bunch of charley horses. It
was all upper-body: I bruised every single one of my ribs, got 10 stitches on
my head, severe whiplash, and I broke my left humerus clean. My liver was
bleeding, I had a contusion in my spleen, and I bruised half of my bowels. They
didn't even notice my left shoulder because my arm was broken so badly. I
didn't find out my shoulder was separated until a month later.
How did you handle the
rehab?
I pretty much only had to do rehab on my left arm. I went to
physio a few times a week, but I had to pay for half of it. It got expensive
after a while so I just did it on my own at home. I was so determined to
recover fast and skate so I worked out like crazy.
I heard you got really
good at darts...
I've been playing since I was a kid. I can get bulls-eyes
every time [laughs]. I got a lot
better while I was hurt – I played darts every single day because my right arm
was good.
When exactly were you
able to start skating again, and how long did it take for you to feel
comfortable and fully get back in the saddle?
From the accident until I was fully recovered and right back
into skating stairs and stuff was about 7 and-a-half months. The first session
where it felt good to skate was at Bonsor skatepark. I was skating the 3-block
but ended up tweaking my ankle, tearing 2 ligaments and chipping a bone [laughs]. So that took another month
and-a-half, but it gave me more time to work on getting better range of motion
in my arm.
Nollie backside heel. Sequence: Rich Odam
Was your first-ever magazine cover [Concrete Skateboarding / August ‘09] the first photo you shot when you got back on-board?
The
Concrete cover was maybe the
second thing I shot once I was back skating. I couldn't believe I was jumping
down something that big because I hadn't really jumped down anything since
before the accident. Getting that photo just made me realize, "If I can do this, I can do so much more..."
My confidence went so much higher.
Switch ollie. Sequence: Odam
What was the situation
surrounding your next crazy NBD cover for Color magazine?
I've always thought of getting a trick at the black double.
One trick I have really good is the switch heel, so that seemed like the way to
go. I was out for 2 weeks after trying it the first time in October '09. The
next time, I was watching a hockey game with my roommate Josh Kline, and we
ended up drinking a couple pitchers. I went home and took a nap, then Jarvis
Nigelsky called and said, "You still
wanna do it?" We all met up at the black double, set up, and dried off the
wet ground with the halogen lights. It was tricky because I was just running
and jumping on my board, so I'd have to try and get my feet on there in the
right position.
"I remember landing it
so clearly because it happened so slow, like I was gliding forever. It was the
best feeling. We showed up at 10 and we were outta there by quarter to 11. It
was shot probably 4 weeks before City Of New Lights premiered in Vancouver, and that was the last trick in the video." —Chad
Dickson
Filming for last part
in CONL was a goal for you, but the
accident understandably caused Jarvis to think it wouldn't be possible...
It was decided who was going to be in City Of New Lights probably a couple months before my accident, and
me getting last part was Jarvis' original plan. Once I got hurt, I thought Montie
or Spencer
would get last part and I'd just end up with a couple tricks in the friends
section. That situation helped me get in the right mind-set to film
like crazy once I recovered from my injuries.
"Chad ended up
surprising everyone. He wasn't really filming a lot before the accident - we
only had a few clips of him. It took him a little while to get back, but he was
fiending to skate." —Jarvis Nigelsky
Kickflip. Sequence: Odam
Chad Dickson currently rides for DC Canada, LRG clothing, Expedition wood, Underworld skateshop, OGIO bags, Gold wheels, Diamond hardware, and Jessup grip.
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Related:
Chad Dickson Is Back For More
Hello, My Name Is: Chad Dickson
Chad Dickson's First Cover