Mark McMorris’s family excited, nervous for his 2nd Olympics

It has been a remarkable journey back to the Olympics for Regina snowboarder Mark McMorris.

Ten months ago getting the games in South Korea seemed far-fetched. The then 23-year-old was lying in a hospital bed after a bad crash nearly ended his career and his life.

He suffered multiple broken bones, a ruptured spleen and a collapsed left lung when he crashed into a tree in the backcountry near Whistler, B.C.

“It’s pretty hard to believe,” Don McMorris told the Brent Loucks Show Wednesday morning prior to leaving for Pyeongchang to cheer on his son.

“As Craig, our other son said, ‘it’s a miracle’, but it isn’t, because he’s worked really hard to get back to where he is.”

Mark is considered a double medal threat in both big air and slopestyle which is the same event he won a bronze medal in four years ago at the Sochi Winter Games.

Heading into the slopestyle event Saturday, McMorris said his son is actually in better shape than he was four years ago when a rib injury nearly prevented him from riding in Sochi.

“I would say three parts excited, two parts nervous about the events that are coming up in the next few days.”

While a return to the podium is the goal, the elder McMorris said just seeing Mark back on the slopes is amazing itself.

“To have him do the recovery he has, it’s kind of put icing on top.”