Christie Brinkley Reveals She Received a New Hip 26 Years After Colorado Helicopter Crash
You're never too old to be hip — just ask Christie Brinkley!
The 66-year-old model shared on Instagram Tuesday that she took some time for herself during the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic in 2020 to get a hip replacement after her helicopter crash in 1994.
"New Year, New Hip! Yes that’s a band aid on my hip," Brinkley wrote on Instagram. "I injured my hip in a back country skiing helicopter crash on a mountaintop in Telluride many years ago."
"The pain in my hip got a little bit worse each year," Brinkley explained, adding that she was told 12 years ago her hip needed to be replaced, but the idea was too "daunting" at the time.
"And I had things to do!" she wrote.
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Like so many people in the past year, Brinkley's plans were shaken up thanks to the pandemic, and she "decided to finally take time for myself and do something about the pain that had progressively influenced my decisions."
"I wanted to be ready to be able to say yes to opportunity. I had my surgery at Thanksgiving and I was dancing in my kitchen by New Years Eve and today I put on my long fins and explored the coral reefs propelled by my new hip!" Brinkley wrote, sharing photos of a snorkeling adventure.
Brinkley encouraged her followers to invest in their own well-being.
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"I’m writing all this to say If you’ve been putting something off that could improve your well-being but hesitate out of some sort of fear, I suggest learning as much as you can about the process and the results and expectations. I found the best Doctor for my circumstances and voila!"
"I can’t tell you how happy I am to have done this," she shared, saying that she will now "focus on getting back in shape and rebuilding my strength."
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"Never [too] old to get hip! 😜" the covergirl added.
The helicopter crash happened in 1994 while Brinkley was on a ski trip in Telluride, Colorado. She was featured on the cover of PEOPLE after the terrifying accident, showing one of her injuries, a bandaged splint on her swollen left wrist.
Last year, Brinkley shared a sentimental post on Instagram to mark 25 years since the crash.
“This happened 25 years ago today and not a day goes by that I have not counted my blessing for being alive,” Brinkley captioned the post. “I know for a fact that tomorrow is not a guarantee and that each day is a gift and an opportunity to make sure that everybody we love knows it! 💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛”