Nick Fairall, who suffered severe injuries in a fall in the qualification for the competition in Bischofshofen last January, now made a statement about his current state of health and thanked everyone for the big support over the last couple of months.

"I cannot even begin to explain how grateful I am for all the support from fans, family, and friends. The support you have shown me is truly overwhelming and has helped me to get through one of the hardest times in my life", the US American wrote on facebook.

In this post Nick Fairall also gave more detailed information about his injuries. " I fractured two ribs, punctured my right lung, bruised my kidney, and had mild internal bleeding; however, the main damage was a fractured and dislocated L1 vertebrae, which triggered paralysis in my legs."

After a month in the hospital in Schwarzach, near Bischofshofen, the 25-year-old could return back to the USA, where he immediately started the rehabilitation. "Each day I am making progress, little by little. After nearly 5 months of intensive rehabilitation, I now have more feeling in my legs and some movement in my thighs. My recovery is an ongoing process and each day I continue to work towards my goal of ski jumping again. The most important thing in my recovery is Patience!"

What will help Nick Fairall along this very difficult way is that he kept his positive attitude. "Much of what I face will be challenging, but it is the challenges that bring out the greatest in human beings. I am embracing this challenge and moving forward and will continue to enjoy my life, regardless of the circumstances."

Source: fis-ski.com