Man of High Rigard

Skiing, climbing, biking; all have an element of danger and a risk of injury. For avid Bozeman outdoorsman Ryan Rigard, it wasn’t skiing a crazy a line or crashing his bike that changed his life, it was a 12-foot fall from a ladder in a work-related accident. The fall broke 29-year-old Rigard’s neck, back, and several ribs, and caused a concussion, bruised lungs, and burns from an electrical line he brushed during the accident. A fractured T-5 vertebra injured his spinal cord, causing paralysis from the chest down. Now Ryan and his newlywed are adjusting to a different way of life, but Ryan says in his online blog that he is looking forward to getting back outside with the help of Eagle Mount and a lot of hard work. A former employee of Summit Bike & Ski Shop and Spanish Peaks Brewery, Ryan is a “truly nice guy, fun-loving and always positive,” says former co-worker and Outside Bozeman editor Mike England. To learn more, or to make a donation, go to rigard.com.