Georgie suffered a life-threatening brain injury while skateboarding in California in August 2014. Family and friends gathered around him in support, raising funds for his recovery, and coming to visit him in the hospital in California during his two months in the ICU. Georgie’s injury was so severe that when he finally awoke from the induced coma, he could hardly move or speak, and had lost his memory. Skateboarders from all walks of life, whether professional or semi-pro were there, bearing love, gifts, and inspiration for the journey ahead.

In October 2014, Georgie returned to Ames to live with his family and committed himself to regaining his skills. Over the course of nearly a year, he dedicated countless hours to recover his mobility, speech, short-term memory, and cognition skills. Unable to remember even two words spoken to him when he first returned home, he was ready to return to work and school in California. Georgie loved Ames and had plans to return and raise a family one day after seeing more of the world by traveling overseas with the professional skateboarders.