Young Woman Makes Remarkable Recovery After Suffering Traumatic Brain Injury in Snowboarding Accident

(PHOENIX - Aug. 26, 2025)  – A young woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling from a cliff while snowboarding in Northern Arizona earlier this year has relearned to walk through Barrow Neurological Institute’s renowned neuro-rehabilitation center.

“The last eight months have been a whirlwind,” said Izzy Siniscalchi, 20, of Chandler. “I am so proud of how far I’ve come and am grateful for my clinical team, family and friends  who have supported me every step of the way.”

In January, Izzy was on a snowboarding trip when she vanished on her second run of the day. Her friends alerted the ski patrol and searched for her throughout the day. Five hours later, another skier spotted Izzy laying motionless at the bottom of a 70 foot cliff. It’s believed Izzy fell from the catwalk - a narrow trail that connects ski paths. The ski patrol used a sled to rescue her from the remote area and first responders rushed her to the nearest hospital in critical condition and with a core temperature of just 32 degrees. 

“It’s the dreaded phone call no parent wants to get,” said Patty Siniscalchi, Izzy’s mom. “Her friend called and told us what happened. When we made it from Tucson to Flagstaff, the doctors told my husband and I that the next 48 hours would be crucial to Izzy’s survival and we needed to be prepared that she might not survive.”

Miraculously, Izzy didn’t suffer a single broken bone, but her neurological injuries were serious. Izzy had suffered a traumatic brain injury, and was experiencing severe swelling in her brain which required a craniotomy. She spent the next three weeks in the hospital, and didn’t recognize her loved ones after waking up. But, with patience and prayer, Izzy slowly started to come to. She was transferred to Barrow Neurological Institute, located at Dignity Health St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, when she was stable enough to make the journey to the Valley. But, the road to recovery was just beginning.

“When Izzy arrived at Barrow she was in the very early stages of recovery,” said Dr. Christina Kwasnica, chair of the department of physical medicine and neuro-rehabilitation at Barrow. “Izzy is a young woman with a whole lot of life ahead of her and our team worked diligently to create a plan of care that can help her work towards living an independent life. Our neuro-rehab center is not a one-size-fits-all approach. We tailor our therapies to meet our patients specific needs.”

In Izzy’s case, her goals started out basic -  relearn how to walk, feed herself and regain her vocabulary. She began physical, occupational and cognitive therapy while in the hospital and continued it after she was discharged. Since then, she’s put in months of hard work and has made extraordinary strides to get to where she is today. 

“The therapists are truly invested in Izzy,” said Ron Siniscalchi, Izzy’s dad. “They know what they are doing and don’t waiver in the level of care they provide day in and day out. They are well prepared and motivated to help Izzy achieve her goals.”

“I’m extremely proud of Izzy,” said Patty. “She has such a positive attitude and puts in the work without a single complaint. She is 100 percent motivated in her recovery and continues to work hard to get to where she’s going.”

Izzy is looking forward to embarking on the next chapter of her recovery when she starts Barrow’s Center for Transitional Neuro-Rehabilitation (CTN) program later this month. CTN is an intensive program that provides more real world rehabilitation focusing on independence in the home and productivity when returning to work or school. 

“I am so thankful to everyone who has supported me over the last few months,” said Izzy. “I’m looking forward to new adventures in my 20’s and am excited for what the future holds.”

And as for lessons learned through this experience, Izzy and her family have one message for people hitting the slopes this winter - wear a helmet. 

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