Jared Eberwein: Not So Good News in the Desert

” It’s not very fun for me to write much about this story to me, because its still very depressing on what I have to go through now. I went to Las Vegas a couple weekends ago for the extreme thing contest. I was now my third time ever attending, but usually the conditions are never good, as in wind. It’s only one of few dirt contest that happen that aren’t invite only, so I think thats what stands out to people. Showed up friday and rode some then to feel the course out, it was pretty windy still so a lot of riders were uneasy. Had enough that day, my fiance drove out with me because we had one plan that we wanted to do, and that was go to dinner at Max Brenner (the Bald Chocolate Man Restaurant) its located at the Ceasers Palace Hotel. Not a very popular place but we went to our first one in New York on a trip a couple years back, and my fiance has fell in love with this burger they make ever since, haha. Anytime theres an opportunity to attend, we go. We were pretty lucky, because Max Brenner in Vegas was the only nearest one to use because they are usually only located on the east coast. When we were there that friday night, we were told that they were closing the doors in two day. Got in a visit barely! Contest day comes, we park amongst al the people parking, because extreme thing is also an insane amount of concerts going on as well as a BMX contest too. We get in and start riding, the wind is pretty bad still, everyone still on guard and taking it easy. Just jumping through with my friend Derek Kenny in a train, jumping all the jumps straight. Got a little off balanced in the air on the last set, basically came down sideways, immediately tried to get up to get out of the way of the train, but my knee wouldn’t move. My heart drop, my mind just started racing, becoming really scared of what might just have happened. I get helped over to the medical table and get checked out. They moved my knee around, told me its not torn, may just only be stretched. I was like well cool, thats good news, but it hurt way more then the medical lady was kind of acting about it. I didn’t really know what to believe, either way, my fiance and myself left right away and headed home. I wasn’t able to see my doctor for 2 days, which was monday. I like my doctor, and seeing him as well, but I don’t like what the situation is when I”m usually in to see him. He moved my knee and right away was like, “yeah, I’m 98% sure you tore your ACL.” I wanted to die! I’ve been so terrified of knee injury, don’t even like when people talk about them. Now I had to finally face one of the injuries I feared most. I was on top of things, and got the MRI scheduled a couple days later, then surgery about a week out. Just had surgery a week ago, and now I’m currently healing. THERAPY!!!!!!” -Jared