Medina girl recovering after sledding injury on Hinckley Hill

HINCKLEY TWP. — Seventeen-year-old Natalie Wilson is recovering at Cleveland's MetroHealth Hospital after sustaining a severe back injury while sledding Sunday night on Hinckley Hill in the Cleveland Metroparks' Hinckley Reservation. Natalie's was one of two "severe" accidents Hinckley fire Chief Jestin Grossenbaugh said his crews responded to over the weekend. A third injury took place on the sledding hill earlier in the season, with the individual declining care when paramedics arrived and took themselves to the hospital, the fire chief said. Grossenbaugh said in his 24 years with the department, he's been to the hill numerous times and usually injuries consist of broken bones, concussions, cuts and other "typical" injuries expected from sledding. Grossenbaugh said the recent injuries were the most severe he's ever seen and are the exception, rather than the rule. He added there were no extenuating circumstances or actions which contributed to the severity of Natalie's or the other person's injuries. What did contribute to those incidents were the conditions on Hinckley Hill, he said. While the hill was "made for sledding," the freezing and thawing of snow and rain during the winter turns the hill into a "sheet of ice" and leads to sleds building up even more speed than usual and possibly spinning out of control. In Natalie's case, Grossenbaugh said he was told by paramedics the Medina teen slid off the path and hit a tree on the right side of the hill going down. Natalie's father, Jim Wilson, said Monday his daughter was going down the hill on one sled with a friend. When Natalie hit the tree, her friend came off the sled while Natalie stayed on. Wilson said Natalie is doing "as well as could be expected" after multiple surgeries Sunday and Monday to repair her spine. Doctors implanted screws to stabilize her spine. Her prognosis for recovery won't be known for several days. "She's doing better," her father said. "Still in a little bit of pain but they did a procedure that should help with that. "I wasn't there (but) I got the frantic call from Natalie shortly after it happened. It seemed to be that, when you go down the hill, the right side can veer off. That's what I've always known about this hill and we've never had an incident. It sounded like they kind of spun out … (and) Natalie went into one of the trees off to the side. Not a big one, I guess, but enough to make an abrupt stop and do the damage that it did." Hinckley Hill is part of Cleveland Metroparks' Hinckley Reservation. Grossenbaugh and Hinckley Township Trustee Melissa Augustine said the responsibility of opening or closing the hill falls on the Cuyahoga County park district. Grossenbaugh and Augustine said after conversations with the Metroparks, conducted by Grossenbaugh and police Chief David Centner, the hill remained open Monday. Officials with the Metroparks were unable to confirm if the hill was still open when reached Monday evening. They also did not discuss what guidelines are followed when determining if the sledding hill should close. "Our thoughts are with the families impacted by the tragic sledding incidents that occurred over the weekend," Jacqueline Gerling, director of communications for the Cleveland Metroparks, said in a statement. "We are looking into these incidents and the circumstances around these events." Wilson said the family sleds on the hill a few times during the season each year. Wilson said hills like Hinckley Hill should be closed if conditions become unsafe. He would also like to see safety fencing installed along the right side of the hill, in front of the trees. "I would assume that it was pretty icy," Wilson said. "I can only imagine. I'm sort of a play or do whatever at your risk and be aware of the risk, but I would like to see something done along that side of the ridge. They put up, on the left side when you're walking up, a rail to assist them in climbing the hill. "It's a hill that's enjoyed by so many people (so) to put a barrier up to prevent sledders from going off into the trees, that's where the real damage is." Grossenbaugh urged sledders to use caution on the hill going forward. "Pay attention to the crowd size," he said. "Crowd size will dictate how you go. Maybe instead of going down the middle where everyone else is going, maybe you move to the sides. If it's extremely slick, be aware that there may be hazards that you're not thinking of." Contact reporter Jack Kopanski at (330) 721-4063 or jkopanski@medina-gazette.com.