On February 10, 2016

Bob Burke recovering from ski injuries

By Stephen Seitz

KILLINGTON — Friends of longtime area resident Bob Burke will be pleased to know he is recovering from a harrowing skiing accident at Killington several weeks ago.

Bob Burke has been skiing for 50 years. His wife, Debbie, said said he doesn’t remember how the accident happened.

“He fell off [the Panic Button trail] and hit some trees,” she said. “He broke 13 ribs and three vertebrae, and one of the ribs punctured his lung.”

The worst injury, she said, was to his spinal cord. The prognosis, she said, is uncertain.

“We won’t know for three to six months,” she said, adding that her husband could be in rehabilitation for up to eight months. He is currently in the Spaulding Rehab Center in Charlestown, Mass.

“He was brought first to Rutland Regional, and then airlifted to Dartmouth,” Debbie Burke said. “His spinal cord is still attached, but bruised. We hope he’ll regain feeling in his legs. We’re hoping when it heals, he’ll be home again.”

Debbie Burke said she was grateful not only for the care her husband is getting, but for those who got him into it so quickly.

“The care he got from (former Killington town constable and ski patrolman) Scott Biygelow, the medics on the chopper, and the staff at Dartmouth was just great,” she said. “They acted like a well-oiled machine.”

Debbie Burke herself is a volunteer firefighter and has long been part of the community.

“We’ve lived here for 39 years,” she said. “It’s good to have good friends.”

She added there is a lesson to be learned from Bob Burke’s experience.

“This shows how your whole life can be turned upside down in just a second,” she said. “Bob’s advice would be, ‘Don’t ski at the edge of the trails.’ This was totally unexpected.”

Debbie Burke said her husband would greatly appreciate receiving cards from friends. His address at the Spaulding Rehabilitation Center is: 300 First Avenue, Room 621, Charlestown, MA 02129.

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

Killington Resort announces staff promotions, management additions 

June 4, 2025
Josh Reed  Josh Reed has moved into the role of communications manager. Reed has been part of the Killington team since 2021, most recently serving as a ticket and reservation supervisor, where he was recognized for his thoughtful leadership and commitment to the mountain. Reed has over 20 years of sales and marketing leadership experience…

CEDRR receives $2,500 Smart Growth Award

June 4, 2025
The Vermont Natural Resources Council announced the latest grant recipients for the Small Grants for Smart Growth program, May 27. Grantee selections are made on a rolling basis. The committee chose the Bridport Housing Task Force, the Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR), and the South Burlington Energy Committee to be awarded a combined $6,750 in the most recent…

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermont celebrates 50 years of mentorship and community impact

June 4, 2025
2025 marks a significant milestone for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermont (BBBSVT), which is celebrating 50 years of empowering youth through meaningful, one-on-one mentoring relationships across the Green Mountain State. Founded in 1975 through Youth Services, BBBSVT has matched thousands of “Littles” with caring adult “Bigs,” fostering relationships that help young people realize their…

Motorized forage harvester falls into Hartland gorge

June 4, 2025
By Curt Peterson A convoy of haying equipment and workers started out from Braintree on Monday, May 26, to harvest 47 acres across from Harpoon Brewery for landowner John McGrail of Shepherds Brook Farms. Their journey was cut short when a 20-foot tall, 27-ton self-propelled John Deere forage harvesting machine, avoiding collision with an oncoming…