Fashion designer Rachel Zoe lived the nightmare that all parents fear. While not at the scene herself, she learned that her now 10-year-old Skyler Morrison Berman fell 40 feet from a ski lift while in Aspen, Colorado. For most children, such a fall would be life-changing, if not fatal. However, Skyler got lucky.
The incident happened in December, when Skyler was 9. Luckily, his fall was cushioned by someone who happened to witness what was happening. At the time, Zoe said that Skyler wasn't officially on the ski lift when it started to move, which is how the accident happened.
When fans heard about what happened, they rushed to social media to post their well-wishes and concerns. At the time, Skyler felt the need to post a video and prove he was OK.
"And just like that after experiencing an actual miracle..#Sky is almost percent back to himself after falling 40 feet from a ski-lift less than 48 hours ago," his mom captioned the video. "I don’t typically share traumatic moments with my IG community, but the love we feel from so many of you is overwhelming and truly helping us heal. Both Skyler and I have endless gratitude for your prayers and kindness and we will never forget it."
While he was OK and had a miraculous recovery, the incident still plays on Rachel's mind. And all moms can relate. That dreadful feeling of knowing it could have been a lot worse is hard to shake. Now Rachel has found the courage to open up about that day more and express what she's been through.
She talked to People magazine about what she and husband Rodger Berman went through that scary day. "It was clearly the worst day of both our lives," she admitted. "Rodger was physically with him, something he will most definitely never forget. I showed up, and he was in the ambulance in a full-body brace and went to the ER, which is when I posted."
Skyler was very brave and was helping comfort his mom when he saw her. "In typical Skyler fashion, he said to me, 'I'm so glad this was me, Mommy, and not you.' He's that kind of kid," she said. "And he was honestly braver than I've ever been. Rodger and I were absolute catatonic messes."
And that's another truth that many parents can relate to. Upon learning what happened, it makes sense to shut down. Luckily, Skyler really was OK. "He was like, 'Mommy, I'm okay.' But as the parents, we were definitely not okay," she reiterated.
The incident didn't seem to deter Skyler one bit, which explains a lot about his overall character. "The good news is he wanted to get on the mountain two days later," Zoe said. "He's a strong kid. He is so brave." That said, she knows it's a miracle he survived — and thrived — through the accident.
"It didn't need to happen," she explained. "And by a miracle of a wonderful man who will be our friend for life, he happened to be snowboarding and saw what was happening, jumped off his board and grabbed a mat that he saw half-buried in the snow. He ran it up the hill to where he thought Skyler would fall and put the mat under him, which ultimately saved him."
The man was at the right place at the right time, and luckily had the equipment he needed to help pad Skyler's disastrous fall. They got lucky, which Rachel and Rodger are fully aware of. The incident changed their parenting, as well. Now they make a point to spend a little extra time with their children to make sure they know they're always loved and appreciated.
"You know what it is, it was just realizing that, wow, things can be taken that quickly," Rodger mentioned. "Really that quickly. And that is a big wake-up call. Even as a parent, I think you're a little nonchalant sometimes, not that I was nonchalant, but holy crap. Afterward, you're just like, 'I've got to hug my kids.'"
"The one thing that I think has changed for me, pretty much before I leave or do anything, I always wind up going to the kids," he continued. "I just want to see them. It's a thing now — I just want to make sure that I check in and see them. I think that's something that I maybe have changed in my own behavior a little."
It's a harsh reminder that anything can happen. While this seems like a legitimate accident, it's a reminder that all children should learn about ski-lift safety before going. While it seems as if Skyler wasn't at fault, the more knowledge that kids have, the more at ease parents might be able to feel.
The image that Rachel has discussed is the one when her followers learned what happened. Soon after the fall, Rachel posted a picture of Skyler from the hospital on her Instagram story. She said it was to "remind everyone how fragile life is and how it can turn in a minute." At that time, she, herself, was still processing what happened.
While being checked into the hospital, Skyler reportedly read every kind message that Rachel's followers sent his way. That likely also helped him rebound from such a scary incident. Rachel also had no issue calling out the ski lift operator at the time, saying this "could have been easily prevented if the operator had stopped the lift when he saw sky wasn’t on from the start and @rbermanus screaming to stop the lift." Surely, that moment changed their life as well.
This incident was likely eye-opening to everyone. You should never take life for granted. You never know what the future holds, or what may happen. It's best to appreciate each day for what it is, and each person in your life for the joy they bring. It's good to know that Rachel and her family have moved forward, but it's sad to know there's still a lot of grief based on what might have happened.
