Last November, Robbie Copp crashed his dirt bike while on a family vacation breaking his back and partially severing his spinal cord. He was immediately taken to the hospital to undergo life-saving surgery.

Copp has been doing CrossFit for roughly five years and says that the training methodology saved his life. “The doctors did say that if I wasn’t in the shape I was in, I likely wouldn’t have survived the accident or the surgery,” he says.

Although things will look a little different, Copp has signed up for his fourth CrossFit Open — this year as an adaptive athlete. He says, “I chose to sign up for the Open this year because I sign up every year and the timing worked out great that there’s an adaptive division for me to continue testing myself against the world.”

Copp says he is grateful for the support that he has received from his family and friends, his box, and the CrossFit community as a whole while he adjusts to his new life. Copp plans to keep working toward the goals he set before his accident. He says, “If I can stay healthy and get strong at the same time, I will be set up to continue taking care of my family and be able to do the things I enjoy.”