17-05-2025
Minnesota doctor on the road to recovery after falling 300 feet down a mountain
How a Minnesota doctor is reclaiming her life after a 300-foot fall
How a Minnesota doctor is reclaiming her life after a 300-foot fall
How a Minnesota doctor is reclaiming her life after a 300-foot fall
Dr. Shirlee Xie has worn many titles over the years, including Hennepin Healthcare physician, mom, wife and friend.
For more than 15 years, she's dedicated her life to healing others, but now she's turning that healing inward.
Late last year, Xie and her husband took a two-week hiking trip to Switzerland. On day two of the getaway, she experienced a life-altering accident, falling about 300 feet down a mountain.
She was airlifted to the hospital after suffering several broken bones, a traumatic brain injury and multiple fractures to her spine, leaving her completely paralyzed from the chest down.
Since then, Xie has been working very hard in physical therapy to hit some personal goals, such as having the strength to take photos again and capture the world around her.
WCCO
"Everything is a little different. I have to do things a little differently now," Xie said.
She is fighting for her independence, pouring into herself, navigating a wheelchair and exploring again.
On Mother's Day, she picked up a camera again, taking candid photos of her children posing with birds.
Shirlee Xie
"It felt good. It was scary," Xie said. "I'm trying to do a very scary thing every day."
In just a few weeks, she will embark on another milestone: getting on an airplane for the first time since that fateful day.
With fierce determination and courage, Xie is rebuilding her life, one movement and milestone at a time.
