ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — Several Michiganders were ready for some winter fun this week, but instead, they ended up in the hospital. Over about 24 hours, three people, including a child, were reportedly injured while sledding at a popular Ann Arbor hill.
The injuries, which included skull fractures, spinal injuries, concussions, and broken limbs, happened at Veterans Memorial Park, prompting calls to 911.
“I turned to the guy next to me and said, 'hey, call 911—and my wife, please,'” said Noah Harrington.
Harrington said he saw a jump at the bottom of the hill that, at first, didn't look too bad.
Interview: Man injured on sledding hill talks about what happened that day
"I go down the hill dead center, hit the jump, land right on my arm — went way higher than I thought I would," he said.
Harrington broke his arm and now has to have surgery to begin his healing process.
He said he knew right away that it was broken.
"Thankfully there were a lot of people around," he said.
All of the injuries on the hill were apparently tied to the snow-packed jump built by other sledders.
"More often when I see people with injuries, there’s often a jump involved… you know they built a jump they thought they could go over it, and they’re going too fast, they fly too far and they end up with injuries," said Dr. Brad Uren, University of Michigan Hospital Emergency Medicine.
Harrington tells me he understands the hill is large and can be dangerous, but he believes some signage acknowledging the dangers of jumps could have helped prevent his injury.
"Don't put the sign in the middle of the hill, but a sign would be nice," he said.
And a sign is now up. Parks manager for the City of Ann Arbor, Josh Landefeld, said while everyone sleds at their own risk, they are asking sledders to be conscious and courteous of others trying to enjoy the hills, too.
"Sledding is dangerous enough already. And while the fun of a ramp or a jump can make it a little bit exciting… when you don’t know what’s happening at the bottom of a hill, that creates an uncertainty," said Landefeld.
