Emergency crews in Lake City, Colo., rush Vratislav (Vrato) Durech, a Squamish, B.C., man to hospital in this handout photo, after he was critically injured when he fell 40 metres off an ice wall in Colorado. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Jakub Bahnik (Mandatory Credit)

Friends of an avid adventure seeker critically injured after a 40-metre fall from a Colorado ice wall are fighting to bring him back to Canada to continue his long recovery.

Vratislav (Vrato) Durech and his wife, who live in Squamish, B.C., were ice climbing in Colorado on Jan. 24 when he fell.

Ever since, Durech has been in intensive care in a hospital in Grand Junction, Colo., 395 kilometres west of Denver, said friend Pierre Carret.

"When I received that first call, I didn't have much hope," Carret said Tuesday in a phone interview from Jasper, Alta.

"Falling on ice from 41 metres, you don't have that many chances of surviving, but he did."

Carret said he and another friend got on a plane the next day to see Durech in hospital.

"I had people say to be prepared, he’s not in good shape, but I was actually quite impressed," Carret said. "His face was all swollen up, his eye was as big as an egg on his right side, but it was not as bad as I thought it would be, mainly because I saw him alive."

A GoFundMe page set up to raise money to airlift Durech to B.C. and also pay for medical expenses says there was no severe brain injury.

However, Durech sustained multiple facial fractures, a shattered femur and heel, as well as a dislocated shoulder. Multiple surgeries have been done and more are needed.

Carret said they were able to raise the $50,000 needed to airlift Durech to Vancouver General Hospital, but they are still waiting for a bed to free up there.

As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $94,000 was reportedly raised on GoFundMe, but Carret said money is still needed to help pay Durech's extensive medical bills from the U.S. and rehabilitation.

The GoFundMe page says insurance will not cover the medical expenses because ice climbing is classified an extreme sport.

Carret said Durech and his wife recently decided to take a year off work to travel and "enjoy life a little bit more."

The GoFundMe page describes Durech as "passionate skier, climber and traveller who has dedicated his life to adventure, nature and living with purpose."

"Together with his wife, he worked hard to turn their dreams into reality — choosing experiences over possessions and setting out on what was meant to be their dream journey."

Carret said he became friends with Durech when he lived in Jasper, and the two bonded over skiing and the love of the outdoors.

Durech was popular in the Alberta Rocky Mountain community because he was willing to do outdoor activities with anyone no matter their skill level, Carret said.

"That guy has a really big heart, just all the time positive and nice to be around," Carret said.

During the devastating wildfires in Jasper in 2024, Carret said Durech opened his home in Squamish to those displaced.

"We stayed with him in Squamish for two weeks," said Carret, who lost his home in the wildfire. "So that was such a relief to find a family. That was quite special."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 3, 2026.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2026