North skiing fan in fight for life

Feb 21 2010 by Brian Daniel, Sunday Sun

A NORTH man is battling back to health after being injured in a horrific skiing accident – a year after his sister’s death.

Asher Cairns, 34, suffered a fractured skull and vertebrae in his neck and a dissected artery after hitting a rock while skiing in the Swiss Alps, where he now lives.

The accident happened two weeks ago yesterday, a year and a day after his sister Eilidh Cairns was killed when knocked off her bike by a lorry in London.

Asher’s skull was operated on immediately, with a plate being inserted.

He was talking the next day, having suffered no damage to his brain, and is able to move.

Asher, who was brought up in Alnwick, Northumberland, is still in hospital but doctors must find a solution to the dissected artery before they can perform an operation on his neck, which could take months.

Health staff have been unable to say whether he will make a full recovery.

Mum Heather Cairns, a retired teacher who lives at the Vicarage in Ellingham, last night said Asher’s accident had been devastating so soon after her daughter’s death.

Heather said: “I’m fortunate that it is a very strong family group. We stick together through thick and thin. We could do with a bit less thin.”

Asher moved to Switzerland to work at the Crans Montana ski resort, living in Zermatt for around 10 years.

He now lives with girlfriend Georgie Vann. The pair run a business letting high class chalets.