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By Jayne Thurber-Smith
THE SECRET to being Canada’s most-decorated Olympian? Believe in yourself and trust in God. This is what
sustains Cindy Klassen through the golden and the not-so-golden times.
Belief in God has helped Cindy ride out the ups and downs in her life that were
beyond her control. In October 2003, she fell while rounding a corner during
training and crashed into a group of skaters. A skate blade cut her right arm
from wrist to elbow, slicing through12 tendons, a nerve and a major artery.
Amazingly, she was able to resume training two months later. She competed at
the World Single Distance Championship in March 2004 with a splint on her arm,
winning silver and bronze medals.
God’s peace
After her seemingly charmed year in 2006, Cindy started gearing up for the 2010
Winter Olympics. Then, in February 2008, her younger sister’s vehicle hit a ramp-like build up of ice on a highway bridge in their hometown
of Winnipeg. Lisa went over the railing and into the Red River 15 metres below.
She was trapped underwater until two intrepid bystanders rushed to her rescue,
cut her loose from her seat belt and administered CPR until an ambulance
arrived.
“When I found out about my sister’s accident, I was completing in Berlin,” Cindy says. “I went to my room and sent out an email to all those people I knew who would
pray for her, and then I felt calm. I had to sit through a nine-hour flight,
plus I was delayed in Montreal.
While there, I watched the details of the accident on the news. There was a lot
of uncertainty but I felt like God was lifting me up. Normally, I would have
panicked, but God gave me his peace.”
A season derailed
Cindy, along with sister, Faye, brother, Cary and parents, Jake and Helga, put
everything on hold while Lisa was in the hospital.
“People all around the world were praying for her,” remembers Cindy. “My pastor, Gerald Hildebrand, was there for us right away. He knew all the
questions to ask the doctor.
“The rest of us were in shock, seeing Lisa like that; we didn’t know what to do or say. Pastor Hildebrand was a great comfort. The first week
the doctors weren’t giving us any hope, but we didn’t despair.”
Miraculously, Lisa was released from the hospital after a little more than two
weeks. She had a sore tailbone but suffered no brain damage. Although Cindy
knew then that her sister was going to make it, she cut her skating season
short to stay with Lisa.
“I always miss my family when I’m training in Calgary so I usually try to fly home at every opportunity,” she says. “We’re really close. Lisa still had physiotherapy to do in the hospital and
exercises to do at home. It took a while for her to walk normally and she was
uncomfortable.
Skating isn’t everything
“Our church family went into action and supported us through letters, cards,
meals, baking – the sense of community was overwhelming. They all helped us tremendously. It
means everything to me. Skating is important, but it’s not everything.”
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Cindy happily reports that her sister is now doing phenomenally well. “Lisa is 100 percent healed and has gone back to work,” says Cindy.”That’s a huge accomplishment because she’s a flight instructor and had to pass all the necessary tests to be able to fly
again.”
Shortly after Lisa got back on her feet, Cindy had to get off hers and once
again wait on God. “The doctors had to perform surgery on my knee,” she explains. “I kept busy with physiotherapy and training.”
While recuperating, Cindy bonded with the national team, going with them to
Richmond, to get used to the Oval where the 2010 Olympics will take place.
“Sometimes it was hard watching my teammates perform when what I was doing at the
Oval wasn’t typical of what I could normally do,” confesses Cindy.
In God’s hands
“Then I remembered there was nothing I could do about it. If God wanted me to
wait a bit before I got back to where I had been, it was all in his hands.
“I’ve been blessed my whole life by what God has done for me. So how can I not be
thankful, even when times are tough?”
Cindy believes God is still in control of her life. “Through everything I quote Philippians 4:6-7: ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of
God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds
in Christ Jesus.’
“That verse has kept me calm throughout my sister’s tragedy, the problems with my knee and my preparation for the upcoming
Olympics. I know if I give things over to God, and they’re in his hands, everything will be okay.”
Used with permission of Faith & Friends magazine.
February 2010
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