Woman Starts 'No Helmet, No Ride' Group After Son's Near Fatal Fall
LITTLE CANADA, Minn. (WCCO) -- It's hard to stop a mom on a mission.
After her 14-year-old son almost died from a fall off of his skateboard, Mary Barsness of Little Canada has spent hundreds of hours asking young skateboarders and people on bikes to please wear a helmet.
She's even started a non-profit called "No Helmet No Ride." As the new school year approaches, she's hoping to reach even more young people to let them know accidents can and do happen.
Not one helmet at Fire Barns Skate Park.
"It's not really a popular thing unless it's like required," 18-year-old Dylan Mohs said.
Uncool and uncomfortable the kids say, but for this mom it's invaluable.
"Hey can I talk to you guys for second I have some questions," Barsness said.
Mary Barsness wants every skater she sees without a helmet to know he or she is not invincible.
"I just want to know why you guys don't have helmets on and it's for real, like I really want to know," she said.
A little more than one year ago, Mary's son, Willi Bosch, nearly died from a severe head injury when he fell of his longboard. He wasn't wearing his helmet.
"Even once I knew he was going to live I didn't know what that meant," she said.
Willi had to learn to talk and walk again. He can't play a single sport ever again because the risk is too high.
"This is what I saw the night I went to see him after they removed the left side of his skull. Those images are more powerful than anything I can say to them," Barsness said.
Mary says she's not here to shame anyone and knows not every skater will take her advice, but she keeps talking.
"I've met so many people who are caring for a paralyzed child or grieving loss of their child and we can't expect them to go to these skate parks and say this: I went home with my son, I can do this," Barsness said.
She listens, too.
"It's not the way it looks, it's just the macho-ness of 'I don't care if I get hurt,'" Mohs said.
Hoping to get through the price of doing what is unpopular, little to pay, so it doesn't cost a life.
There is no state law requiring helmets for skateboarders, that's why Mary says she's trying to reach the kids directly.
We have information on how to book Mary to come speak to groups or schools.