February 26, 2024

A Journey of Healing and Acceptance

“After focusing all of my energy on walking for more than a year, I decided to see what else life had to offer. I chose to accept my wheelchair and embrace my new life,” explains 20-year-old Mason Branstrator.

“I not only completed an Olympic triathlon, but I also surfed, fly fished and cross country skied. In the process, I learned that recovery is about finding new ways to do the things you love and being kind and patient with yourself.”

He adds, “It has taken me three years since my ski accident to accept where my body is at and to learn how to heal the relationship with my legs. Most importantly, I realized that you must be kind to yourself and remember that only you define what is truly possible.”

Choosing Optimism

In January 2021, Mason was a junior at Duluth East High School when he sustained a spinal cord injury in a skiing accident.

“I was at Spirit Mountain, preparing to do a jump that I had done more than a hundred times before,” Mason recalls. “As I was nearing the end of the jump, it felt like I was going too fast. And that’s the last thing I remember.”

When Mason woke up in the ICU and couldn’t feel his legs, doctors informed him that he had landed on his shoulders and head during the jump, causing his spine to shatter at T12.

“After I was told that I was paralyzed from the waist down and would probably never walk again, I was devastated,” Mason says. “I had no idea what the rest of my life would look like. The ability to run and play soccer—sports I had always loved—was instantly taken from me when I broke my back. At only 17 years old, I couldn’t believe this had happened to me … I thought it was a dream. But I also knew it was up to me to decide if this was for better or for worse.”

Two weeks after his accident, Mason flew to Denver for spinal cord injury rehabilitation at Craig Hospital: “As soon as I arrived at Craig, I felt like I had entered heaven. Everything felt so safe. I knew it would be okay.”

After several months of intensive therapy and working closely with Laura Magnuson, Craig’s School Program teacher and coordinator, Mason returned to Duluth for his senior year.

“It was challenging to return to high school, but I took everything I learned at Craig and chose to have an optimistic outlook on my situation,” he says. “I made the choice to not sit around and feel sorry for myself.”

The Power of Community

Mason decided to take a gap year after graduating from high school. “I knew I wasn’t ready to go to college at that time,” he recalls. “And while I had no idea what I’d do for the year, I knew I’d figure ‘something’ out.”

Connecting with others via social media soon became Mason’s “something.”

“During my time at Craig, I really enjoyed connecting with others,” Mason explains. “From taking part in the TRAC Program to working out at the PEAK Center, I thrived from the community around me. So, I decided to start sharing my story on social media and YouTube to connect with as many people as possible.”

Mason began developing videos about his life as a wheelchair user. He found immense joy in documenting his daily living experiences, from getting into his car and riding an escalator to taking part in numerous adaptive sports, such as tennis, basketball and biking.

His main goal: to become completely independent and show others how to do the same.

“I try to show how life can be beautiful after a spinal cord injury,” he explains. “I have had the opportunity to connect with millions of people with (and without) physical disabilities from around the world. Talking with others who have similar struggles and sharing my experience is extremely fulfilling. Community is what powers me.”

He adds, “Not everyone can recover at an amazing place like Craig, the Harvard of rehab, so I see it as my duty to pay it forward. Being able to provide resources and share experiences with others makes my accident seem as though it were for the best. I have received messages from thousands of people, telling me how much I inspire them and how much I give them hope and motivation.”

A Bright Future

Today, Mason is a freshman at the University of Denver. He plans to study business and marketing and currently lives in a wheelchair-accessible dorm room.

“I am so happy to be only seven minutes from Craig, where I can spend time at the PEAK Center and volunteer as a peer mentor, supporting others with an SCI,” Mason says. “Craig is the place that helped me heal and taught me problem solving, strength and independence. And I’m so happy to be back.”

Mason’s social media handles