U.S. halfpipe riders are all wearing the same sticker on their helmets these days. Squeezed between (and sometimes over) their sponsors' logos you'll spot one that reads: "I Ride for Kevin." Kevin is Kevin Pearce, whose Olympic dreams were tragically cut short on Dec. 31 when he fell badly during a training run and suffered a life-threatening traumatic brain injury.

The budding U.S. star was in a coma for several weeks, and while he's out now, he's got a very long recovery ahead of him. His brain has lots of healing to do, and his next trick will be learning to walk again. Pearce is currently recovering at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado.

Pearce is a huge star within the snowboarding community. He was considered by many snowboarding insiders to be Shaun White's biggest competition heading into the Vancouver Games. White rarely loses. Pearce had beat him twice in the past year. Yet what makes Pearce so attractive to his fans is that he transcends all the media hype and halfpipe skills with a wonderful soul. It's one that's been firmly planted and nurtured by family.

Pearce considers his older brother David his hero. David has Down syndrome and a fist full of Special Olympic medals. He's done a remarkable job (with some help from his parents) of keeping his little brother focused on what's real and what isn't while he's risen to the top of his field. That bedrock and perspective is what makes Pearce so loved by his friends and fans.
His injury, therefore, was a huge emotional blow to the snowboarding community. Even would-be rivals crossed lines that aren't really there to offer their love and support. Fans flocked to the U.S. Grand Prix events carrying signs and banners honoring Kevin. Riders like Louie Vito and Scotty Lago put "Pearce Would Have Won" stickers on their boards. And White started sporting "I Ride for Kevin" stickers on his gear.

Today, there's a Facebook fan page, "Well Wishes to our Frend Kevin Pearce," with 38,267 fans. People post there by the minute, wishing Kevin and his family the best, and sharing their own stories of hardships overcome.

A recent post reads: "My 6-year-old cousin suffered a TBI [traumatic brain injury] in August that left her on the brink of death. She is walking, talking, laughing and is set to come home from the hospital mid-March. This will be your story too."