A 5K Race Fueled by Gratitude and Goodwill

On September 28, 2024, the “Break Your Neck: Walk, Run, or Roll” 5K race will take place at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl stadium in Pueblo, Colorado. And 39-year-old Ken White, the race’s organizer, will be leading the way.

“My experience at Craig Hospital was absolutely amazing,” he explains. “I feel so fortunate to have been a patient there, and I credit Craig with my successful recovery. It’s such a special place.”

He adds, “My father instilled in me the responsibility to give back, and if I can help others get better, that’s what I need to do. I want to inspire others to work hard and recover, just like I did. By organizing this race, I hope to raise money for Craig, as well as develop a scholarship for nursing students who have a passion for community accessibility. It’s my way to say thank you for everything Craig did for me.” 

The Craig Experience

Back in November 2023, Ken was playing in the living room with his 4-year-old daughter, Aria. The pair was jumping off the couch and doing somersaults when the Whites’ ottoman broke and Ken fell, sustaining a C6 burst fracture.

He was rushed on a Flight for Life from his home in Pueblo to Colorado Springs for an 11-hour surgery. “When I woke up, I could only move my right toe, and three days later, my left toe moved,” he recalls.

Several weeks later, he arrived at Craig for three months of spinal cord injury inpatient rehabilitation and one month of outpatient rehabilitation.

“I had no idea what to expect, but I was amazed every day,” he says. “At Craig, you can work as hard as you want—and your care team will support you 100 percent. To be in a place where everybody wants to help you and believes in you is so uplifting. And when other patients make progress, there is no envy or jealousy. Instead, it’s all about support and compassion. The speed of my recovery is a true testament to Craig.”

Giving Back

Working hard was Ken’s priority at Craig. With his family back home in Pueblo—except for weekend visits—he focused all his energy on getting better.

“I developed a mantra for myself to help me get motivated when things got tough: Gotta walk, gotta run, gotta get things done. I used this a lot to inspire myself to keep going.”

And that’s exactly what he did. Ken first started his rehabilitation in a power wheelchair and progressed to a manual chair. He then began to walk, jog and run. “My hand function is still a little limited, but I actually got my legs back,” he says.

“One of my occupational therapists, Emma, is a runner, and I thought to myself, why can’t I run a 5K? And then came my idea to organize a race to benefit the hospital. My goal is to raise $20,000 this September.”

He adds, “My recovery was blessed, and I feel so fortunate. I just want to pay it forward and help others.”

For more information on Ken’s 5K race, visit:

https://runsignup.com/Race/CO/Pueblo/BreakYourNeckWalkrunorRoll