On the afternoon of February 2, 1986, a young girl slipped off the seat of a chairlift at the Tod Mountain ski area near Kamloops, British Columbia, and was left hanging by her left arm, which had been broken when it caught in the seat's safety bar. Dr. Dennis M. Karpiak, riding the lift behind the girl, saw her predicament and knew that she could not hold on much longer and might not survive the eight-metre drop to the hard-packed snow and ice below. He immediately jumped down, took off his skis and hiked to a spot directly beneath her with the intention of breaking her fall. When she dropped she landed on his chest, shoulders and arms with such force that he was knocked backwards into the snow and lost consciousness for several seconds. Dr. Karpiak's decisive action saved this young girl from very serious injury.