While competing in a downhill mountain bike race in Angel Fire, New Mexico, Silverthorne resident and Summit High School rising sophomore Jamison Lee was injured in a crash on Saturday, June 1.

Due to the severity of the accident, Lee had to be airlifted by a Flight for Life helicopter to the University of New Mexico Hospital’s Level 1 trauma center for immediate care. At the hospital, medical professionals found that Lee had multiple rib fractures on his right side, pneumothorax, and T5 and T6 spinal fractures.

Lee soon received emergency spinal surgery that involved a T4 through T8 spinal fusion. Lee is currently unable to move from his belly button down.

With a long road to recovery ahead, Summit County locals and the mountain biking community have rallied behind Lee and his family by contributing money to the Gofundme campaign.

“They have been community members for a long time,” family friend Julie Olsen said. “My daughter and Jamison grew up together. They are a huge part of the community. They are a really close-knit family.”

Beyond being close as a family, the Lees are also very intertwined in the Summit County community. Jamison has been involved with the Team Summit mountain biking team. With a love of all things sports, Lee also was part of the Summit High School football team this past fall, skied during the high school’s Alpine skiing season over the winter and competes in ski cross.

“They have probably been around for 13 and a half years,” Olsen said. “They run the full gamut of community activities and being a part of everything that happens in Summit County.”

The Gofundme campaign in support of the Lee family has currently received over $70,000 as of Friday afternoon, June 7, with all of the donated money going toward giving financial support to the family.

“They have insurance, but with an injury like this, they are spending time in a hotel and then trying to locate a place for them to live, if and when they transfer him to Craig Hospital in Denver,” Olsen said. “The mountain bike community has really been rallying behind him.”

Olsen is hoping that the generosity of the community, whether it be via donated funds or encouraging words, will give Jamison and his family the help it needs while navigating the multitude of steps in the healing process.

“No matter what the outcome of this injury is, its going to be a long journey to healing,” Olsen said. “We are talking years of physical therapy and rehabilitation.”

For those wanting to donate to the Lee family, visit GoFundMe.com.

To stay connected with the family and leave a word of encouragement, visit the Lee’s Caring Bridge page at CaringBridge.org/Visit/JamisonsHealingJourney