Below is the link to the “Nick Fener Playlist” on YouTube. I’m adding more videos all the time, as I have hours and hours of footage to get to. Please Like them, Share them, and subscribe if you feel like it! Many thanks!
Click here to go to Nick’s YouTube Playlist!
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Below is Nick’s story told in a random ordering of pictures taken since May 20, 2011, the day he got hurt. It’s a work in progress, and I’ll be adding more as time goes on.
Currently I’ve included pictures from the first two months after Nick’s accident. There are some rather graphic photos in this gallery, so be warned.
- Nootbaar praying with Nick in the ICU. May 25, 2011
- Nootbaar brought the boys over to say hello. Not sure they knew he was having his feet cut off later that afternoon. We didn’t tell anyone but his Mom until after it was done. What a weird, weird day that was. June 9, 2011
- He felt as bad as he looks here during his first time in the wheelchair. It took 4 people and all his might to make it happen. June 1, 2011
- Xena dog doesn’t like the metal ankles… so why does she insist on walking down the parallel bars hallway when Nick is using them? Nov 2011
- We bought a few dozen foot shaped cookies for all the Ballard staff. An easy and obvious laugh! July 15, 2011
- His first shower was truly a magical moment. He was singing loudly! Despite the huge smile, he was in a lot of pain in that uncomfortable chair. June 23, 2011
- Nick showing his stumps to his cousins for the first time. Hard to stomach for the girls. Dec 2011
- They had him awake for a while on the day after his accident. That’s when we knew his arms and brain still worked, but he was very, very sedated and confused. May 21, 2011
- Sleeping Beauties – Zach and Nick. July 1, 2011
- Best Birthday surprise ever… with wise words to boot. Anonymous. Jan 2012
- The shoe from his accident. The force of his fall was so great, that his shin bones went right through the shoe material. No wonder he lost his legs. June 25, 2011
- Nick’s personal therapy, his RC truck. While annoying in rainy season, the hill our house sits on serves as a great place to jump his truck. Feb 2012
- It got worse before it got better. It wasn’t long past this point that he started the hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
- The extent of Nick’s physical therapy prior to his amputations was to get into a wheelchair and sit there for 20 minutes. June 5, 2011
- Pafart bought Nick a game board set, and here we are, playing Chinese Checkers with Paul. July 3, 2011
- Nicks good buddy Paul came to visit with his son PJ. July 4, 2011
- Nicks second home: the X-ray table. June 24, 2011
- Hannah came with her extra car to let me borrow because mine was having troubles. Thanks Han! July 10, 2011
- 3 days after the amputations, his stumps looked like anvils. The amount of swelling was incredible. June 12, 2011
- We don’t know this man… but I’m sure he’s wanted in at least 15 states. Nick and Chopiak Jan 2012
- Nick enjoying the scenery at Hermosa Beach. Nov 2011
- As usual, Nick entertains kids in one way or another. At the Nocita house August 2012
- Soaking in the experience of our first night back at home after 2+ months in the hospital. Good friends are like family.
- Doing core work with John at Ballard. At this stage he couldn’t sit up yet without using his hands for support. July 12, 2011
- Experimental Podiatal Foot Implant gone wrong. Either that, or messing around with the Avadikians. June 26, 2011
- Saying goodbye to Nick’s feet, forever. June 8, 2011
- Kenneth visited me a lot, but this was the first time he could make it up to Nick. June 4, 2011
- Nick’s 34th Bday dinner at Mom’s house, with Seth and Pauly. Jan 2012
- Last minute, throw-together Birthday evening with a few friends… many of whom were past roommates at the Fener house. Jan 2012
- The night we came home from the hospital… clowning around and relaxing in the living room with friends… grateful to be home again.
- Moo, Andy and Jared were with us for a wound dressing change. July 9, 2011
- Those feet were heavy, painful and paralyzed. Once he decided to cut them off, he’s never looked back. Amputating was a very brave decision that he had to fight for. June 8, 2011.
- Fener and our angel Mrs. Nootbaar standing tall. Jan 2012
- Hangin with friends. August 2012
- Welcome home BBQ for Nick, the night we got home from the hospital. Back brace and leg bandages.
- They closed his abdomen with a bunch of staples during his spine surgery. Still in a coma, his entire body was swollen. May 25, 2011
- He just got fitted with this brand new shell. To celebrate, we went outside to hang with the hospital cat. July 6, 2011
- Paul came to visit skinny ass Nick at Ballard. Look at the missing hair between his nipples. June 24, 2011
- First attempt at the hand cycle. He could only go for a few minutes. See how his legs are straight? He had to wear those braces all the time. Very uncomfortable. June 21, 2011
- Nick giving a heart felt, teary-eyed, impromptu Thank You speech at the Feet For Fener event at Skydive Perris. Sept 2011
- A typical sighting in the Fener home. Dogs are everywhere!
- Asian tourists. Avadikians, Nootbaars, Kindsvaters… and Fener. Sept 2011
- Kim visiting Nick in the ICU. He never knew she was there. May 25, 2011
- During therapy, Adi came to visit, and we used his car to learn how to do safe transfers. He used a transfer board to scoot across into and out of the car. July 7, 2011
- Nick just began eating again, so Cassie brought us lunch. May 31, 2011
- Our lucky star, Jenn Nootbaar, came to stock the trailer for me, and say hello to Nick. May 31, 2011
- Wow, look how skinny he got, despite me fighting like hell to feed him constantly. July 6, 2011
- Nick’s nasty dread lock. Maybe I should have combed his hair just a little bit sooner. June 8, 2011
- Celebrating the big move out of the hospital and into rehab. Nick didn’t think he was ready, but it was time to go. June 15, 2011
- Day 11, Nick sits up for the first time. It took the help of 5 people, but he did it. May 31, 2011
- Enjoying a bit of sun outside the hospital with the MIA dog. June 7, 2011
- Nick and an obviously unimpressed Tiernan. Jan 2012
- Keith came to see Nick just before he left to go home. May 25, 2011
- Our gym has a chair lift for the pool, making it possible for Nick to swim while waiting for swim legs. Oct 2011
- Nancy made every effort to keep Nick comfy and happy at Ballard. One of our faves!
- He just had his legs cut off the day before this picture was taken. It hadn’t sunk in yet. Maybe it still hasn’t. June 10, 2011
- Mom was by Nick’s side everyday. May 21, 2011
- Back at the ICU with an infection. That was a rough few days for us. June 27, 2011
- Carson and Parker came and we hung out outside. This was the day we discovered his shoes from the accident. June 25, 2011
- First week at Project Walk. Feb 2012
- My dad loves Nick like his own son. He visited as much as possible. May 29, 2011
- Well, he doesn’t have those tattoos anymore. This was right after they were finally able to close the wounds on his left foot. June 4, 2011
- Nick’s view in the ICU. Minimal decorations, until he moved rooms. Thanks for the pictures Mom. May 29, 2011
- A super funny poster from our fabulous co-workers at Skydive Perris. June 2, 2011
- The evening of his amputations. He was in intolerable, excruciating pain. June 9, 2011
- Our first lunch outing with family. My Dad and Nick’s Mom took us out. July 10, 2011
- During Nick’s first “therapy pass” to leave the rehab hospital, we went to lunch at a nearby Thai restaurant with Dan. July 9, 2011
- A few days before coming home, we visited the house for a “test run” to see if the place was handicap friendly. We really didn’t want to leave. July 11, 2011
- At Project Walk, Nick’s lead trainer Bri working on getting his knees straightened out. Feb 2012
- Sorry honey, had to share this. Only a month after his accident, he looked pretty ragged. He was skinny, his eyebrows were missing and I trimmed him a killer stache. June 30, 2011
- Adi visited a few times, and hung out to watch Nick do therapy. July 7, 2011
- Hanging out in the shade, uncomfortable as hell. Nick could only be in his chair for short periods of time back then. June 19, 2011
- Bret and Penny made the drive out to San Bernardino to see us. July 5, 2011
- Trying his new legs on for the very first time at Hanger. Oct 2011, 5 months post injury
- Long time friend Ryan, loving on the nubs.
- The last bit of skin they were unable to close, even after a handful of surgeries. His compound fractures were really severe. Had he kept his foot, this would have caused him problems for months and months. June 6, 2011
- On a “therapy pass” we left Ballard and met friends for dinner. Joe, Linda, Mike, Shazza, and Hannah
- Nick and my Dad, just watching the day go by. Nick could sit up for about 20 minutes at this point. June 5, 2011
- RC car is excellent “real life” therapy. Just bending like this helps strengthen Nick’s back. Feb 2012
- Just a few days before the amputations, Bart and Kim came to visit, but had no idea. June 5, 2011
- Nick with Seth and Zach. Dec 2011
- Nick and father-in-law Frank. Dad always comes around to see us. Nov 2011
- Yuri had an accident with similar spine injuries, just 35 days before Nick. Their mutual ER nurse brought Yuri downstairs for a visit. May 31, 2011
- I just can’t put this into words. June 27, 2011
- Xena dog missed him so much. So glad Ballard let dogs visit. June 18, 2011
- One of our first glimpses at Nick’s back wound. It was healing nicely. June 5, 2011
- Nick holding up a newspaper article about himself in The Californian. Sept 2011
- Lindsay and Nick enjoying a weekend mini-vaca in Hermosa Beach. Nov 2011
- I’ll take any opportunity for a photo, even if he’s in a coma. May 25, 2011
- Day 1 at Ballard. We got him in the chair with just two people instead of 4. Nick was NOT happy as it was way too much strain on him. June 16, 2011
- Nick’s in-house doc at Ballard made an AFF skydive years ago with our boss Moley. Small world! June 21, 2011
- Dan and Pa were there everyday. May 26, 2011
- Scientific method for determining ones height. Important stuff for a double amputee.
- We took a series of “parting pictures” to celebrate his last day at the hospital. We were so excited about the possibilities that a rehab facility could bring. June 15, 2011
- Blue investigating the remnants of Nick’s calf tattoo. There’s half of a half-naked lady back there! Jan 2012
- First swim post accident, Sept 2011. Wearing socks to protect the freshly healed wounds from the sun.
- Pa wrote this. We all had our ways of coping and trying to lighten the atmosphere. May 23, 2011
- Shannon, Wilo and Lindsay in front of the wall of fame at Ballard. Photo by Fener. July 10, 2011
- A fun visit with great friends, Wilo and Shannon. July 10, 2011
- He hallucinated for a few days because he was on the wrong drugs. Here he is trying to pass an imaginary test to get out of the hospital. May 28, 2011
- Nick had a private room at Ballard, so we’d just shut the door when the dogs came. Thanks Mike and Shazza! June 23, 2011
- I would spend almost all day in this position with Nick, whispering positive words in his ears, rubbing and kissing his head. Even in a coma, his brain could absorb the love. May 21, 2011
- Hi Mom! June 8, 2011
- Prom picture with the Avadikians. June 25, 2011
- A very unique and thoughtful care package, to me, from our friend Heather in Canada. Thank you Heather! July 3, 2011
- During Nick’s 13 hour spine surgery, my two bestest buds Paul and Keith kept me company. This was a toast to Fener. May 22, 2011
- Darron and Fener fooling around… just a few moments before Darron measured Nick at a whopping 4’8″ Dec 2011
- Blue came to see us at Ballard, and brought us some yummy MonaVie gels. July 9, 2011
- For days after his amputations, he just needed to sleep. This was two days post surgery. June 11, 2011
- Andy came to visit a few times, and of course, was fascinated by the nubs. July 12, 2011
- The days were long. It was hard to NOT get silly. July 6, 2011
- Childs pose stretch at Project Walk, working to get Nick’s knees to bend further. Feb 2012
- Somehow Nick was thrilled to finally see his shoes, a month after his accident. The bones went right through them. June 25, 2011
- Panoramic of his room decor at the Riverside County hospital. Strangers would stop in all the time to meet Nick because they could feel the love radiating into the hallway. June 4, 2011
- Celebrating Fathers Day with the boys. Dan, their Dad Zach, my Dad Frank, Seth and Nick. Seth flew his RC helicopter for us and put on quite a show. June 19, 2011
- The first unveiling of his stumps, three days after surgery. We had to be very, very careful and gentle with his legs at all times. No bumping the bed. They were so sensitive and painful. June 12, 2011
- After a month of standing over him, I finally joined him. What an amazing experience. June 24, 2011
- Skinny Nick during an occupational therapy session at Ballard. July 4, 2011
- Hailing from Canada, two of my favorite skydiving students Andy and Scotty MeatBomb came to visit. June 17, 2011
- Paul visited early and often. This was the day after Nick woke up, one week after accident. He was so sick. May 27, 2011
- Nick was learning how to roll over on his own. July 12, 2011
- A hectic moment in Nick’s room. Nick had low energy, but lots of friends and love. May 31, 2011
- This was right after his 13 hour spine surgery. He was very swollen all over. May 22, 2011
- Just a little tailgate party outside the trailer in the Ballard parking lot, with Ma and Pa Fener. Day 1 at Ballard. June 16, 2011
- They used the ball to get him balancing on his knees. July 13, 2011
- They came every Wednesday and took a liking to Fener. One even did a report for Nick about spinal cord injury and sexual function. Hence, my inspiration for this photo.
- Seth Fener in mid demolition of our master shower. Some friends got together and outfitted our house to be handicap accessible. June 2011
- Dan came to be with us when Nick got out of surgery. It was unbelievably painful to see him like this. May 22, 2011
- He had tubes everywhere, open wounds, and a cervical collar. The early days were very scary. May 21, 2011
- Awesome visit from Darron and Chelsea. Dec 2011
- Off the hallucination drugs, Nick called Vinnie first, and he came right away. May 31, 2011
- The best therapy ever! MIA dog came and visited several times. June 23, 2011
- In the ICU, feeling awful with an infection. June 27, 2011
- Fun visit from Nicks cousins. We took them to race go karts. Dec 2011
- Nick with two of his biggest supporters… Shazza and MIA! Jan 2012
- Our morning and night routine consisted of me bringing him his toiletries in bed. June 4, 2011
- After several surgeries, they still hadn’t completely closed his open wounds. He had no feeling or movement in his feet. May 29, 2011
- Moo, Jared and Bandito came to visit. Managing Nick’s social calendar was nearly a full time job for me. July 9, 2011
- A cold beer never tasted so good! He rarely drinks at all anymore. July 11, 2011
- For three days after waking up, Nick was very particular about the manner in which we held his hands. Seth and Nancy were doing a great job. May 27, 2011
- A closer look at Nick’s swollen, broken and paralyzed lower legs. They drilled the holes in Nick’s bones to keep his feet from flopping. May 29, 2011
- They hacked off his tattoo, and wrapped it around the bottom of his stump. The red mark is the remnants of a giant fracture blister. June 20, 2011
- Here’s Nick getting on his hands and knees for the very first time in therapy at Ballard. He did 3 hours everyday. July 7, 2011
- They removed his spleen the night of the accident, but didn’t close up his abdomen for two more days. May 21, 2011
- Zach testing Nick’s arm strength in the PCU. They moved him out of the ICU that day, but hadn’t taken him off the hallucination drugs yet. May 29, 2011
- Missing Eli, and grateful to still be alive. July 11, 2011
- Lindsay and Brian the evening of Nick’s accident. That smile is proof that I had no idea what I was in store for. May 20, 2011
- A fever and infection brings us back to the ER a month after his accident. This set back was no fun. June 27, 2011
- Two weeks after the amputations, the stitches were still in, and the fracture blister was finally healed. Doug appreciates this. June 25, 2011
- Re-learning to cross his legs while sitting. The therapy at Ballard took Nick through every little motion that we normally take for granted. July 11, 2011
- Rico presenting Nick with a 7 foot paper mache penis, signed by all. July 17, 2011
- For days after he was coherent again, he wanted to talk more than he actually could. His voice was weak and he lost his breath just talking. With Brian and Dan BC. June 1, 2011
- Does this really need a caption? Bart and Kim paused for a moment from helping me pack to pose for a photo.
- The night we came home from spending 2+ months in the hospital. A warm welcoming with a few of our closest friends.
- The nightly wound dressing change at Ballard. The Avadikians were very helpful. June 25, 2011
- Imagine our surprise when we discovered this little beauty, just 6 days after his amputations. They immediately drained the fluid and it healed fine. June 15, 2011
- This was the second time he was able to get onto his belly, and it felt SO good! July 6, 2011
- Doug came to help us while Nick was in the ICU. May 25, 2011
- Zach goofing around only seconds before falling and almost crashing into Nick’s wheelchair. That would not have gone over well. June 8, 2011
- Saying goodbye to our very good friend Benji, who flew across the planet to help and be with us for a week. Sept 2011
- Mom was taking care of MIA for us, and would sometimes bring her to the hospital for some doggy therapy. July 2, 2011
- Each day during his physical therapy, 4 of us would put him in a wheelchair and let him sit in the sun. June 5, 2011
- Part of “Feners Final Foot Photo Session.” They decided on a Tuesday to do the amputations on that Thursday. Not a lot of time to pay tribute, but we made it happen! June 8, 2011
- Doing some light weight lifting at Ballard. June 20, 2011
- Nick’s view from his bed at Ballard. And it just continued to grow and grow. June 16, 2011
- Fluffy hair contest with Doug. We never stopped laughing when they were here. June 26, 2011
- Saying goodbye to two of Nicks favorite nurses – Denise and Karen. They made ALL the difference in our stay there.
- Lori brought us lunch! Thank you! June 5, 2011
- They looked better than we had imagined, but the X-rays told a different story. May 21, 2011
- Nick and Mom, just a few days after losing his legs. We were all so rattled back then. June 15, 2011
- Fener on the move. He took an ambulance from the county hospital to Ballard. June 15, 2011
- BC came to visit. The look on his face says, “See, Nick’s a fucking bad ass.” June 1, 2011
- He stopped wearing this shirt after learning that something was wrong with his Xaos canopy and that the manufacturer tried to hide it. Ignorance sure was bliss. June 20, 2011
- Nick had a wound on his back for months, from the fall. On the last dressing change at Ballard, his nurse left us a note. July 15, 2011
- Arni was one of Nicks favorite nurses at Ballard.
- Nick was so nauseated the day after he woke up. Reality hadn’t quite hit him yet, despite being emotional all day as well. May 27, 2011
Awww, you put a pic of your care package! Thank you! Brought tears to my eyes! I want to send Nick one THIS summer, now that he’s so much better, but I need a few ideas! I was looking at all the pics and thought “Holy shit! You guys! It’s only been just over 9 months since Nick’s accident!!! That is AMAZING how well he is!!! Good on him! Hugs! You will DEFINATELY be up for a Boogie next year!
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