Christina Vogel
 

This is just crushing news. She was unstoppable.

But what an incredible inspiration in her words, and her determination to accept this and make something of it. "My arms will be my legs." It won't surprise me if we see her winning the Boston Marathon women's wheelchair, or paralympic kayaking, or whatever she sets her mind to doing.
"Now I’m ready to say: here I am and I’m fine. I’m still there and still the same old crazy girl you know."
I'm more of a fan now than ever before!

nHaving survived relatively unchanged from a similar crash, I am very happy that she has developed the attitude she has. In my case it was a brain injury (although my neck was certainly messed up). I remember the day I decided to recover rather than sink into a pit of self pity; it took several months before I passed that barrier completely. She is awesome and I agree we will probably see her winging paraolympics or para worlds at some point. I can't root for her enough.

http://m.spiegel.de/international/germany/olympic-cyclist-kristina-vogel-left-paralyzed-by-june-accident-a-1227200.html

That's a great interview.

My favorite part: She talks about secretly doing therputic exercises in bed,

"...I'm not building any muscles or anything, but at least I'm doing something. Just lying there waiting for someone to turn you from left to right every couple of hours, I can't stand it. I always tell everyone: I have to go, I have appointments, I have to go (she laughs again)."

I'd like to think it's OK to stop feeling sad for her and let's look forward to the next chapters for her.

I agree with Carleton. It is a tragic event inasmuch as any life-changing injury like that is tragic, and I feel very sorry for her in that sense, but she's absolutely developing the right attitude for coping with it. I'm reminded of Alex Zanardi, the former IndyCar and Formula 1 driver, who lost both legs in a racing accident then starting winning Paralympic titles in hand cycling; I suspect we haven't seen the last of Kristina in rainbow stripes.

I guess we all know, whenever we get on our bikes, that there's a potential for serious injury. Whether the track is safer or more risky than the road is ultimately a moot point; we know the risks and we accept them. Sometimes this happens. That doesn't make it any less sad, but I am confident that it's not the end for her.

Bless her heart! What an amazing human being....

More on Kristina here:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/...-a-part-of-me/