After the Fall: Rodeo, Grief and Choosing to Rise

At the beginning of rodeo season, Tristyn Erickson was bucked off a colt, trampled, concussed and hospitalized for five days.

She was eventually told she could ride again, but her body was telling her something very different.

After pushing through unbearable pain, an MRI revealed a herniated disc at L4–L5. Additional medical opinions uncovered a badly sprained pelvis and a difficult truth: Tristyn needed to get off the horse and give herself time to heal.

Then her family lost Cayla to domestic violence.

Cayla was not simply Tristyn’s cousin. She helped raise her, introduced her to horses and became one of the strongest anchors in her life.

With the thing that gave her peace suddenly taken away, and her family grieving an unimaginable loss, Tristyn faced a season that tested far more than her strength as an athlete.

Before stepping away from competition, she made one final run.

It was not about winning.

It was for Cayla.

This is a conversation about injury, grief, community and what it means to keep moving forward without pretending the loss did not change you.

Because sometimes resilience is not pushing through the pain.

Sometimes it is listening to your body, allowing people to carry you and finding a new way to honour the person you miss.

CONTENT NOTE: This episode includes discussion of serious physical injury, domestic violence, murder, grief and children affected by the loss of a parent. Please take care while listening.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SUPPORT

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911.

Alberta Family Violence Info Line
Call or text 310-1818
Available 24/7, toll-free and multilingual
https://www.alberta.ca/family-violence-find-supports

Canada-wide crisis lines and support services
https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/gender-based-violence/get-help-now.html

Find a domestic violence shelter anywhere in Canada
https://sheltersafe.ca

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