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Outdoorsman Braves Amputation to Ski, Hike Again
By Joan Bennett  Early in the morning on February 12, 2003, Michael
Lynn of Bartlett, New Hampshire, set out on a 14-mile day-trek on
snowshoes and cross-country skis in New Hampshire's White Mountains
with his dog, Kayla. An avid outdoorsman, Lynn, 55, hadn't
bargained on having difficulty breathing a few hours later when he
was deep in the Pemigewasset Wilderness. Wet from exertion in the
deep snow and able to go no farther, at 4:30 PM he put on dry
clothes and dug himself a hole in the snow to wait out the night in
30-degree-below-zero temperatures. Lynn was sure someone would come
after him as he had left his itinerary at the inn where he worked,
with a note that if he didn't return by 5 PM, he was in
trouble.
When the new front desk clerk arrived at 4 PM, she saw Lynn's
note but didn't understand its significance. The next morning, as
the clerk was throwing the note away, the inn's manager asked if
she had seen Lynn. After reading the note and getting no answer at
Lynn's house, the manager called the sheriff, who contacted the
Fish and Game Department. A search began.
Rescue!
By late afternoon on the second day, Lynn had given up hope of
being found alive and wished his hypothermia would progress far
enough to make him unaware of what was happening. About 9:30 that
evening, Kayla barked, and Lynn saw a flash of light through the
trees. Two Fish and Game officers had found him, but their radio
wasn't working. Lynn's severe frostbite made him unable to walk, so
the officers lit a fire, gave Lynn dry clothes, and fed him hot
liquids while they waited out the night.
At 8 AM on February 14, the officers got a crackly transmission
through. A National Guard helicopter arrived a couple hours later
and hovered above a clearing a quarter mile away as a seat was
lowered to lift Lynn, who slowly reached the area after strapping
snowshoes on his frozen feet. Low on fuel, the helicopter whisked
Lynn to the closest hospital, refueling before it returned hours
later for Kayla and the officers.
Bilateral Amputation
Physicians were unable to save Lynn's right leg, which was
amputated mid-calf three weeks after his rescue. Three months later
in early June, he had a Symes amputation of his left leg above the
ankle.
Back to the Outdoors
Eight months after his mid-winter ordeal, Lynn was not only
walking and hiking again with Kayla, but was making plans to ski
and snowshoe. Wanting to return to his active lifestyle, he sought
out Next Step Orthotics and Prosthetics, Manchester, New Hampshire,
which specializes in fitting active amputees. With a different
style Flex-Foot on each leg, Lynn has had his prostheses adjusted
to fit his alpine and cross-country ski boots and the demands of
skiing.
Eager to hit the trails and to get away, he reserved a condo for
this past winter in Winter Park, Colorado, a resort where he taught
skiing 12 years earlier. Winter Park is the headquarters of the
National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD), and Lynn is looking
forward to learning how to ski again with their guidance. And when
he ventures into the woods again, he will be sure to leave behind
his itinerary--since he knows this saved his life, along with the
bravery of two very special Fish and Game officers. 
Table Of Contents - March 2004
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