MILFORD, Mich. (WXYZ) — Video shows Chloe Howard just over a year ago, snowboarding in Colorado. Ranked number two nationally among 15 to 16-year-olds at the time, she went there to compete.
Her mom, at home in Michigan, expected an update.
“I was watching Chloe’s location on my phone and wondering why she wasn’t texting me a picture. She always sent me a picture before her race and I noticed she was at the bottom of the hill for quite a long time,” said Amanda Oliverio, her mom.
Then Oliverio got a phone call. Chloe crashed on the slopes. She was going so fast her helmet didn’t prevent a traumatic brain injury. When Amanda Oliverio got to the hospital, Chloe was in a coma.
“They sat us down and they said there is a likelihood she is not going to return to school this year. She is not ever going to drive. She may not walk or talk again. Your daughter did not die on the mountain that day, but she did die on the mountain that day. So that was tough,” said Oliverio.
The next day Chloe started a pattern of defying odds.
“She opened her eyes and said mom,” said Oliverio.
The Milford High School Snowboarding team sent her well wishes as Chloe began a long recovery. She had to relearn how to walk and talk. She didn’t remember the words to her favorite song.
“I had a grade three diffuse axonal brain injury with 33 micro brain bleeds and a ten percent chance of being able to walk again if I woke up,” said Chloe.
When she was healing, Chloe heard about the odds and still dared to dream.
“I will push as hard as I need to push to get better,” said Chloe. “I will do whatever it will takes and get back on the snowboard.”
Call it a Milford miracle.
Chloe and the Milford High School snowboarding team together in 2023 won states.
“If my doctors in Colorado could see me now, they’d be like wow,” said Chloe.
“I just hope people look at her and are inspired by her story,” said Amanda.
