Olympic Conquest

Cory - Turbulence

My mind is racing. I grip Lainey's hand tight. She has to be okay. She needs to live.

The helicopter hits a patch of turbulence and we bounce around like ragdolls. I lose my grip on Lainey's hand. I quickly find it again. I feel a little movement in her fingers.

"I feel something. Lainey, can you do that again?" I look over at the paramedic. "She definitely moved her fingers."

The helicopter bounces around again. I almost lose my balance and my knee buckles. I slam against the gurney. It jostles Lainey and I feel her fingers move again. Or could it just be the turbulence?

"Hang on everyone. It's going to be bouncy for a little bit," Ron reports.

"I know I feel her fingers moving."

"That's good. We'll be able to assess her condition in Denver. Take a seat and buckle up. We'll be there soon." I do as I'm told, never letting go of Lainey's hand, wishing it would move again. Anything to show sign of life.

An alarm sounds from one of the machines monitoring Lainey.

"What's that?" I yell, ready to jump into action.

Instead, Brandon unbuckles himself from his seat. He runs to Lainey and checks her vitals. "Her heartbeat's irregular. I need to shock her heart." He pulls out the defibrillator from the cabinet above her head. The helicopter dips and Brandon is tossed to the back of the helicopter with the defibrillator, which crashes and breaks apart.

"Are you okay?" I scream at him.

He pushes himself back up and grimaces in pain. "I think I broke my leg."

"Tell me what you need me to do." I unbuckle myself and stand up. I lean against Lainey's gurney, my own leg ready to crumble.

Brandon picks up the broken defibrillator and tests it. Nothing happens. "You're going to have to give her CPR."

Flashbacks to Ashton lying lifeless on Vail Mountain come back to me. I gave him CPR as well and he died in my arms. I start hyperventilating.

"I don't know if I can."

"You have to or she will die," Brandon yells at me. This pushes me into action. I turn to Lainey and I start with chest compressions and then breathe into her mouth. Over and over.

The helicopter dips again. I fall against the gurney and push myself back upright.

"Ron, keep her steady okay?" Brandon yells.

"There's not much I can do. I can't control the wind," he shouts back.

"Cory, you should get on top of her. You'll be the steadiest that way and have more force with the compressions."

I climb on top of Lainey – the life draining out of her – and I continue to compress her heart. The helicopter shakes and dips, threatening to throw me off the gurney but I'm able to keep my balance. I alternate the compressions with some breathing. Still nothing seems to be working.

"What else can I do?" I yell.

"Keep doing what you're doing."

I keep going. I start counting in my head. 1-2-3-breathe. 1-2-3-breathe. And suddenly, I feel Lainey taking a breath on her own. A wave of relief washes over me.

"Lainey?" I ask. "Breathe baby, breathe."

Brandon and I both look at the heart monitor. The flat line starts spiking again. It soon steadies and the machine stops beeping. Her heart beats regularly again.

"You did it!" Brandon responds. "You saved her life. Great work!"

I look down and see my hands are shaking. I run them through my hair and take a deep breath of my own. Brandon is saying something to me but I don't hear what he's saying. All I can hear is my own heart racing in my chest. I lean down close to Lainey's face - her heartbeat mixing with mine - and I whisper, "I love you and I wish you'd stop leaving me, okay?" I lie there as long as I can.

As we get close to the hospital, I climb down off of Lainey's gurney, ignoring the weakness in my leg. I help Brandon up to his seat. I sit myself and we both strap ourselves back in.

I lean forward, my head hanging heavy and my heart still racing. I try to breathe slowly and I hold Lainey's hand, determined not to let her go. We finally reach the hospital. As we lower down to the helipad, a team of doctors and nurses rush to meet us.

I whisper to Lainey, "We've landed. Everything is going to be okay. You're going to work hard and get better and we're going to be together again. I promise." A nurse pushes me aside and prepares Lainey to be moved inside. I let her do her work. Another nurse checks Brandon's leg and calls out for another gurney. I stand on my crutches and make my way out of the helicopter. I follow Lainey and the team pushing her into the hospital. I try to keep up but they quickly leave me behind. I watch as Lainey gets farther and farther away from me. A feeling of dread washes over me as I get the sense that this will be the last time I will ever see her.