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Christie Brinkley expresses immense gratitude for her life, three decades after a helicopter accident nearly claimed it. The renowned model still reflects on the harrowing experience that took place in 1994 when she was just 40 years old.
In a skiing adventure that went awry, Brinkley joined five others for a heli-skiing tour in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. Reports describe how the helicopter made a sudden turn, resulting in a catastrophic plunge.
Brinkley recounts the incident in her memoir, “Uptown Girl,” shedding light on a near-fatal moment that left her in shock yet profoundly grateful.
“I believe this world is full of magic and miracles,” Brinkley shared with Fox News Digital, now at the age of 71.
Significantly, on the day of the accident, Brinkley was carrying dirt from Chimayo, New Mexico. This dirt is reputed to have healing properties, and Chimayo is recognized as one of America’s most frequented holy sites.
Brinkley had visited Chimayo just two weeks before the crash. In her memoir, she reflects on her time at the Santuario de Chimayo, feeling surrounded by the hope and miracles associated with the place.
“I fell in love with the hope and miracles emanating from that tiny sanctuary tucked into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains,” she wrote, emphasizing the local Pueblo Indians’ belief that the golden soil could protect anyone who touched it.
As the flight commenced, Brinkley reported that she felt uneasy. Before boarding the helicopter, she took a moment to sprinkle a bit of the healing dirt inside.
“I said, ‘Oh magic dirt, do your stuff, take good care of all of us on this helicopter this day,’” she recalled, jokingly wishing she had added a request for the helicopter itself to stay airborne. Her belief in miracles remained strong, claiming that perhaps it was the essence of Chimayo that helped them survive the ordeal.
Indeed, the details of the crash were harrowing. The helicopter struck a mountain, and Brinkley described the impact as so fierce that the cabin shattered.
Brinkley elaborated on the sudden nature of the accident, noting, “The crash was sudden and traumatic, coming out of nowhere.” The helicopter fell from three hundred feet without any warning, resulting in a chaotic and terrifying experience.
During the freefall, Brinkley realized what truly mattered in that moment. “Suddenly, it became crystal clear that the only thing that really mattered in life and at death was the same: love.” As she plummeted, Brinkley thought of her daughter, Alexa Ray, desiring for her child to feel the love she projected, especially during such an intense moment.
She vividly describes the sensation as the helicopter spiraled out of control, with her body feeling as if it was pinned down under an immense force. “Everything else around me went airborne,” she wrote. “I tried to grab onto something — a seat, a railing, anything— but my entire body felt pinned down.”
Upon regaining consciousness, Brinkley discovered she had been ejected outside the helicopter. However, her seat belt remained entangled around her ski boot, dragging her perilously toward a cliff edge.
“If the wrecked helicopter tumbled over that cliff, I would be going with it,” she noted, only to feel relief when the helicopter halted, stuck in a snowbank that had miraculously accumulated beneath it.
Rescue teams arrived quickly, helping Brinkley and the other passengers to safety. Remarkably, no one was killed in the crash.
Brinkley’s daughter, Alexa, who was eight at the time, was not in the helicopter, and her then-husband, Billy Joel, was also away on tour. In the aftermath, investigators expressed disbelief that all survived, describing it as nothing short of a miracle.
While she emerged alive, the experience instilled a lingering trauma manifesting as post-traumatic stress disorder. Brinkley recounted the emotional struggle, particularly when holding her daughter, each moment laced with a mix of gratitude and sorrow.
“Every time I held Alexa in my arms, I felt like sobbing,” she admitted. “I felt so grateful to be able to continue being her mom.” Yet, navigating the aftermath proved difficult, leading to moments when she felt life was a script being written by someone else.
After the crash, Brinkley saw the world through a renewed lens of appreciation. Gratitude washed over her as she observed natural beauty she once took for granted. “When I woke up in the morning, I’d look out the window and see a stream of sunlight. It was mesmerizing,” she stated, embodying the spirit of both survival and renewal.
The accident marked a turning point, also heralding the end of her marriage to Joel, who was struggling with personal issues. Brinkley’s hope for reconciliation diminished as she faced the realities of their separation.
She felt brokenhearted when she overheard Joel express his intentions on a phone call, realizing their love couldn’t withstand such a trial. “And just like that, the dream broke apart like debris,” she wrote, signaling the emotional devastation that followed the traumatic event.
Following the crash, Brinkley navigated the challenges of recovery while maintaining a commitment to health and well-being. She has since undergone hip replacement surgery related to her injuries.
Today, she shares her lifestyle changes, including a transition to veganism, emphasizing her dedication to health. “I eat lots of grains, beans, and all kinds of colorful food,” she explained, noting how these choices have positively impacted her well-being.
In her pursuit of health, Brinkley adopts a philosophy that recognizes the importance of nourishing the body without denial. She emphasizes the significance of maintaining balance and treating oneself well, illustrating her inspiring journey from survivor to thriver.
Through her experiences, Christie Brinkley continues to exhibit resilience while promoting a message of hope. Her story serves not only as an account of survival but as a powerful reminder of the beauty that exists in life, underscoring the miracles that can arise from even the darkest moments.
