Natalie Eilers comes back from horrific crash to continue pursuit of Olympic dream

Natalie Eilers' dream of becoming an Olympic ski jumper was almost derailed 15 months ago, when she experienced a horrific crash while training in Slovenia.

Natalie Eilers has had the dream of becoming an Olympic ski jumper since she was just six years old.

But that dream was almost derailed 15 months ago while she was training in Slovenia.

Eilers says she came off a little crooked on a jump and couldn’t get things straightened out before landing.

“When I finally came into my landing, my left ski was able to get straight, but my right was a little bit off,” said the 26-year-old.

“My knees were going in the forward direction. My one ski is going (straight), the other just spun around backwards.”

Painful road back

Eilers ended up suffering multiple injuries, including a torn ACL, a torn Meniscus, a couple of compression fractures and a partially dislocated shoulder.

After two operations and many hours of rehab, Eilers is back.

While some wondered if she would ever be able to jump again, giving it up wasn’t an option for Eilers.

“I wasn’t ready to be done,” she said.

“I was having a really good season leading into this. I was so happy and excited to be jumping for the Olympic season, and it’s been my dream since I was a little girl. Everything in my life has led up to this point, and I just wasn’t ready.”

First time back

Next month, Eilers returns to the scene of the crash in Slovenia, where the team trains.

She says she’s thought a lot about that first jump back.

“I’m just really excited to get back and do that. Even though it will be a small hill that I start on—a really small hill. But every single step along the way is huge for me. I don’t mind it being on a small hill because that’s what we usually train on at the beginning of the summer anyway, so I’m just really excited.”

Olympic dream is still alive

Eilers is excited that after all of her hard work, she gets to continue to pursue her Olympic dream.

“The fact that I’m able and cleared and I’m good and have a chance to qualify, that means everything to me,” she said.