Kavanagh's leg can't be saved after avalanche

Hungry Horse News

A Coram native who suffered a compound fracture from an avalanche had to have a portion of his leg amputated last week.

Sam Kavanagh was caught in an avalanche on New Year's day while backcountry skiing with friends in the Centennial Mountains.

Kavanagh spent two days in the backcountry with the broken leg attended to by friends as they waited for help to arrive.

As a result, the tissue damage from the break was too great, and doctors at Deaconess Hospital in Bozeman had to amputate the leg below his knee, Kavanagh's mother, Kristin said.

Sam is still recovering in the hospital. Despite the procedure, Sam is in good spirits, she said.

A 1998 graduate of Columbia Falls High School, Sam is an engineer for Morrison and Maierle. Kristin said his engineering friends are already working on designs for a prosthetic leg.

"He's courageous beyond imagination," Kristin said.

Sam's friend, Blake Morstad, 24, of Billings, was killed in the avalanche. Another friend was able to ride the avalanche out.

Bad weather kept rescue crews from getting to the site, which required a snowmobile and then a ski of several miles into a yurt rented by Hellroaring Ski Adventures.

There were five young men total skiing that weekend. Two of Sam's friends were emergency medical technicians, and they were able to take care of him as they waited for help to arrive.

A helicopter rescue crew was able to fly into the Canyon the five were in and rescue Sam after several attempts. It also recovered Morstad's body.

Folks wanting to send cards can send them to Deaconess Hospital in Bozeman, 915 Highland Boulevard, Bozeman, MT 59715.