Let’s talk about resilience, folks! Christie Brinkley, the stunning icon we all admire, isn’t just dazzling us with her looks—she’s also teaching us the importance of gratitude. Back in 1994, Christie was involved in a terrifying helicopter crash in Telluride, Colorado. Now, at 65, she’s using that harrowing experience to remind us not to take life for granted. On April 1, she shared an Instagram post featuring a photo of herself with injuries from the accident, which originally appeared on the cover of People magazine in April 1994.
“This happened 25 years ago today, and not a single day goes by that I don’t count my blessings for being alive,” Christie wrote in her heartfelt caption. “I truly know that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, and every single day is a gift—an opportunity to make sure the people we love know just how much they mean to us. 💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛”
View this post on InstagramThis happened 25 years ago today and not a day goes by that I have not counted my blessing for being alive. I know for a fact that tomorrow is not a guarantee and that each day is a gift and an opportunity to make sure that everybody we love knows it! 💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛
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The Day That Changed Everything
Back in 1994, Christie, then 40 years old, boarded a helicopter with five of her friends for what seemed like an ordinary day of skiing in the breathtaking San Juan mountain range. But as fate would have it, this wasn’t just any ski trip. The helicopter, instead of providing a smooth ride up the mountain, ended up crashing. In a previous interview with People, Christie recalled the moment when she realized that taking the helicopter was a bad idea compared to using a regular ski lift.
As the helicopter tumbled down the cliff from 12,800 feet, Christie described the surreal experience. “I remember looking out the window and seeing sky, mountain, snow, sky, mountain, snow—it was like a rollercoaster of doom,” she recounted. “Boom, boom, boom, pow! It was chaotic, and my mind was racing.” Amidst the chaos, her thoughts turned to her daughter Alexa Ray Joel, who was just 8 years old at the time. This thought gave her the will to survive.
Surviving the Crash: A Mother's Determination
“All of a sudden, I said, ‘Alexa.’ I suddenly thought, ‘I’m her mother, and she needs me. I’m not going to die. I refuse. I won’t,’” Christie remembered vividly. With each impact, she called out her daughter’s name, using it as a mantra to stay alive. “Alexa! Smash! Alexa! Smash!” she repeated to herself, fighting against the odds with sheer determination and love for her child.
When the helicopter finally came to a stop at the bottom of the mountain, Christie was thrown out of the open door and landed on the snow. “I remember thinking, ‘I’m alive! God!’” she recalled. Her first instinct was to find her daughter. “Seeing my daughter was the sweetest thing in the world. Everything I had dreamt of while going through that ordeal was her. She came over to me, put her hands on my face, and hugged me,” Christie said with emotion. “I told her I loved her so much. That moment was everything.”
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