Years After Surviving 62 Stitches on Face, Shaun White Opens Up on Near-Death Risk of Snowboarding

Published 11/29/2023, 12:45 PM EST

Shaun White may have retired in pen and paper, but his heart still lies in the glaciers. The snowboarding legend has five Olympic medals, including three golds in his wall of fame. Though his sport looks smooth from afar, there are several obstructions that may pose serious threats.

More painful than skiing as per sources, snowboarding involves rapid turns and is more speedy than the former. Since the board is attached to the rider’s feet and no other support is involved, looking out for cracks or crevices becomes more important while riding. But the Olympian sheds light on a less talked about difficulty, which can be life-threatening.

Shaun White talks about the setbacks of his sport

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According to White’s TikTok post, the Olympian said, “I mean crevasses are real, very serious. It’s basically a crack in the glacier that opens up in the ice and it can be over a few hundred feet deep. It’s really scary.”

He moves on to say, “And the heaviest part is, it snows and it covers them up.” As a warning note, the 10 ESPY awards winner spoke of people overlooking the crevasses when they’re covered with snow. So, without any professionals alongside, the athletes can face serious issues, which can also lead to death.

“Definitely wear your Beacons”, is what the Olympian said as the concluding line. So, without a doubt, the legend was the perfect person to have opened up about crevasses and enlighten the amateurs. Having said so, years ago, the 37-year-old former snowboarder had encountered his worst nightmares while preparing for a big event.

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Shaun’s injury leading to 62 stitches

In 2017, Shaun White was buckling up for the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics, practicing in Newland. With 4 rotations of the double cork 1440 landing, the Olympic was looking to master the 22-foot superpipe difficult trick. Little did he know that he would face lung injuries and severe face bruises before he hit his head at the edge of the pipe.

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A little stumble had led to 62 stitches. While talking about it he said, “Kinda Like a Car Crash“. As per his comments, he was girding up for a perfect landing, which unfortunately led to a collision with the edge of the skate. As a result, he faced a touchdown, followed by surgeries and days of missing practice.

Watch this story: 3-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Shaun White Shares Moments From His New Vacation Spot

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Written by:

With a passion for sports and an active lifestyle, I delved into the world of journalism and here I am creating insights on various avenues of the sporting realm. In my school years, I could often be found loitering about with a throw ball in hand or maybe engaging in a tough bout. My active participation in both traditional sports and hiking escapades has considerably shaped my mind and its thoughts.

Edited by:

Sampurna Pal

Years After Surviving 62 Stitches on Face, Shaun White Opens Up on Near-Death Risk of Snowboarding

Shaun White talks about the setbacks of his sport

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Shaun’s injury leading to 62 stitches