posted September 30, 2026

Braxon Silva gave thanks to those who helped him beat the clock

Fresno, CA. – September 30, 2026 – After surviving a severe brain injury while snowboarding at China Peak Mountain Resort, now-15-year-old Braxon Silva had a special reunion on Tuesday with the Fresno-based SkyLife air medical crew, China Peak Ski Patrol, and American Ambulance to thank them for helping to save his life.

On Feb. 2, 2026, snowboard instructor Gabe Camarena found Silva injured in the snow and immediately provided help while sending for the China Peak Ski Patrol. Once Silva was off the slope, American Ambulance transported him to a waiting SkyLife helicopter. The SkyLife air medical crew provided advanced care as Braxon began experiencing seizures and became unresponsive. The crew intubated him and transported him to Fresno Community Regional Medical Center for treatment. Following 10 days in a coma and nearly two months in the hospital, Braxon made an extraordinary recovery and was thrilled to be back to meet everyone who helped save his life.

“It means a lot to see the people who literally had my life in their hands,” said Silva. “It is crazy to think I almost died and I’m doing so well now. I almost don’t believe it. It means so much to meet the people who got me to the hospital, and I just love them so much.”

Silva’s visit to the base was very meaningful to the crew members who rarely get to hear how their patients recover after being delivered to the hospital. Seeing how well he is doing and celebrating his recovery helped them see firsthand the difference they make to the community.

“It’s super exciting to see Braxon doing so well. I saw him a couple of times in the hospital and he’s a totally different person than we saw then,” said SkyLife Flight Nurse Katlyn Martinez. “We don’t get to see people very often after [the transport], so this really gives meaning to what we do.”

In this type of incident, every second counts. The rapid response of China Peak Ski Patrol, the American Ambulance team, and the SkyLife crew not only got Silva to the hospital quickly, but also contributed to his exceptional recovery.

“I knew when we walked in that Braxon was in trouble,” said American Ambulance Operation Supervisor Derek Ratzel. “To be here today to see him pretty much back to normal is priceless. Maybe two or three times in a career do we get to see something like that.”

SkyLife’s helicopter functions like a flying ICU, carrying best-in-class flight nurses and paramedics equipped with the medications and tools needed to provide hospital-level care in the air for trauma victims, as well as those experiencing cardiac, stroke, and other medical emergencies. SkyLife is part of Air Methods, the nation’s leading emergency air medical service provider.

“It is wonderful to be around the people involved in saving Braxon’s life,” said Ronnie Silva, Braxon’s father. “It is amazing to see how they all worked together to get him to where he needed to be and to keep him alive. It is a miracle. They are angels in the air.”