What was that show years ago, was it Wide World of Sports? Anyway, at the beginning of every episode, they showed a skier falling down a mountain, just falling and falling and tumbling over and over for what seemed like forever. It was painful just to watch it. But I read once that the skier was not seriously hurt after that incident. It's amazing how resilient the human body can be...but other times, like you said, one little bump and you're gone!
It’s like they always say, “It’s not the fall, it’s HOW you fall.” That was the entire deal with Christopher Reeve as well. Of course, head injuries need to be treated no matter what. I learned quite a bit these last few hours about how a head injury can be fatal even when it seems benign.
Not that he didn't know it was himself, just that he didn't know he was on it.