A year and a half may seen like a short amount of time to many of us, but for Kevin Pearce it’s been a lengthy learning period. Since suffering a traumatic brain injury that nearly took his life, Pearce has been working his butt off to get better, to get back on track, and to try and lead a normal life.

Following that fateful day in December 2009, Pearce has had to relearn many things- even how to walk and talk. Pearce’s perseverance has helped him make many miraculous strides and he’s well on his way to creating a new life.

The June issue of Outside Magazine features a story on Pearce that delves into everything this Vermont-native has been through in these past few remarkable months. It’s an interesting and insightful look into the tragedy-turned-triumph of one of snowboarding’s brightest stars.

“I LOOK LIKE A DEAD MAN. I LOOK LIKE A F****** CORPSE.”

Twenty-three-year-old Kevin Pearce is staring at a photo of himself, his body splayed across the bottom of a snowboarding halfpipe. He looks intently at the picture, as if the sight of his fall might help him remember. As if this grainy iPhone image might awaken some long-lost memory, some twinge of what he was thinking just before the right side of his skull slammed into the wall.

Check out the full story here: Some Reassembly Required