Local athlete and general manager at The Riverside Inn in Leland, Sebastian Smith, suffered a traumatic snowboard accident and he is currently paralyzed from the shoulders down.
“I never would have thought it could have happened to me,” Smith said. “I’ve been an athlete my entire life.
I’ve worked in the kite surfing industry for over a decade. I’ve pursued sports of various risk levels my entire life and never thought anything like this would happen. “It could happen in the blink of an eye. I wasn’t pushing my writing limitations. I wasn’t pushing the boundaries.”
Smith a Leelanau County resident for 37 years, was wearing a helmet, which he credits for saving his life.
He is an avid sports lover, a certified kiteboard instructor, and someone who finds joy in any outdoor adventure. Whether it’s on the water, in the mountains, or supporting others in their athletic goals, Sebastian has always embraced movement, strength, and freedom.
“I would say that snowboarding, like many sports, carries inherent risk, but to live is to risk at all… I still encourage others and myself to live fully every day and not be afraid of the potential catastrophe of living their lives,” he said.
Smith’s accident took place on the slopes of Boyne Mountain, where he was teaching a nephew to snowboard.
“I think it’s important to get out and do the things that you feel passionate about,” he explained. “That said, I’m not sure I will ever choose to go snowboarding again. But I’m certain that it is a sport that can be pursued safely, and I hope to return to sports one day myself.”
Sebastian said his message to the community is a “huge thank you for the support, emotionally and financially, and in terms of errands that people have done. I had no idea the number of people, family, family friends, and even complete strangers who have come to my aid. And it really has made me feel so much love and cared for that there have been days here just full of weeping, seeing how people are taking care of me.” Professionally, Smith is the General Manager of The Riverside Inn in Leland — a job he genuinely loves and excels at. He is known for his leadership, work ethic, and the care he shows to both guests and staff.
“The Riverside has never been far from my mind. I truly love my place and career at the Riverside, and I love my team and colleagues there, like family members. I’m thinking about them all the time. I’m also thinking about the community and our regulars and guests who visit, and the friendly faces that make that job, my dream job,” Sebastian said. “It has never left my mind, and I’m constantly messaging my team to make sure that things are going okay, even though they tell me that I’m not allowed to worry about it anymore, and I need to focus on healing, but the Riverside is still a factor of motivation for me that I dream to recover and return to.”
Sebastian will require medical transport via aircraft to a specialized spinal cord rehabilitation center where he can begin intensive therapy. His recovery — if any movement returns — will take at least a year, and likely longer. The road ahead will demand extraordinary strength, patience, and relentless hard work. He faces extensive rehabilitation, specialized equipment, long-term care, and significant life adjustments.
“The people who are here with me every day, my parents, my sister, and my girlfriend, are in the room with me, taking care of me 24/7, and the rest of the community has really come to their aid to take care of my caregivers and provide them with the emotional support they need to go through with this,” he said.
So for me, I’ve just been blown away at the sheer number of messages and texts and voice notes and even donations that have come through and have given me a lot of hope on this terrifying, new chapter of my life that I’m in.”
Just before transport to Mary Free Bed in Grand Rapids, the Craig Hospital in Colorado, known as the No. 1 spinal cord injury hospital in the U.S., called and accepted Sebastian.
Sebastian will leave this week with insurance covering the first 45 days for an expected 12-week stay.
Multiple GoFundMe campaigns have raised over $50,000 to cover the unexpected costs that will arise.
“The money that we raise will go towards my rehabilitation and specialty equipment to help me recover,” Sebastian said. “Some of that rehabilitation will be done in Colorado at a sports injury center that is populated by people of my own demographic, typically young or middle-aged athletic men who have become injured in sports injuries ... And so I’m very excited to be surrounded by people whom I can relate to on this journey.”
