VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: US Olympic Skier Colby Stevenson On Car Accident That Almost Killed Him

Team USA skier Colby Stevenson is thankful that he will be able to compete in the Beijing Olympic Games after he almost lost his life in a bad car accident.

“I was in a terrible car accident, I shattered my skull and stuff, it took a lot of determination and hope to come back from that because we really weren’t sure if I was going to physically be the same again, or ever be able to ski the same again,” he said.

Five months after the accident Stevenson was back on skis, determined to continue participating in the sport he loves.

“It actually taught me a very valuable lesson in life to not take anything for granted, and every day is a blessing that we’re here,” he said. “I’m living out my bonus years after that and I took that into competition, skiing for the love of the sport rather than trying to win.”