Amy Van Dyken Spine Severed; Former Olympian Determined Not to Let Anything Stop Her

By Sami K. Martin, Christian Post Reporter Friday, June 13, 2014

Former Olympic swimmer Amy Van Dyken suffered a life-altering accident in which she severed her spinal cord. Despite that, Van Dyken has said that she will not let it stop her.

"Doing great today. My room is the most decorated in ICU. Thx for ur thoughts & prayers!" Van Dyken posted on Instagram and Twitter just a few days after severing her spinal cord in an ATV accident.

Van Dyken was in the accident on Friday and soon learned that she could be paralyzed from the waist down. However, she is in good spirits and keeping fans updated on the prognosis and her progress at the Craig Hospital in Denver, Colorado. She will be transferred there next week depending on whether she needs another surgery while at Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center in Arizona.

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"She's looking forward to coming home and going to Craig Hospital and being near her family and friends," husband Tom Rouen told The Denver Post. "She's looking forward to being back in that Mile High air. She's going to tackle this like everything else she does in life."

Right now, doctors are unsure whether she will be paralyzed permanently. The prominent injury affecting Van Dyken is high on her spine, but she has other injuries to the area that doctors have not yet evaluated or dealt with.

"We're not sure yet," Rouen said. "We're going to take it day by day. Whatever challenges come up, we'll meet them and address."

Friends, family, and fans have all rallied to offer their support and prayers for Van Dyken as she recovers.

"She digs deep to overcome whatever is in front of her, and she's more stubborn than almost anyone I've ever met," former Olympic teammate B.J. Bedford Miller told The Post. "When faced with challenges, she will fight tooth and nail to overcome them. That's just who she is."

Another person who praises Van Dyken's tough spirit is former Fox Sports Tonight co-host Rob Dibble.

"As far as competitive and just a free spirit and what made her a six-time gold medalist and what made me a former major-league pitcher, we're very similar in personality. I would say she's got a much stronger spirit than I do – that's one of the things I was drawn to. Everything she's been through in life, it's been something she could overcome, and I wouldn't say that about a lot of people. I've played with a lot of professionals, but she's by far one of the toughest of anyone I've ever met," Dibble said.