WHITEFISH – Vernon Vanderhoef sat against a wall, peered out the picture window and strapped on his boots. Outside skiers and snowboarders slid down the slopes, much like he was about to do, even though he hadn't skied in years.
The chores of everyday life have prevented him from skiing as much as he once did, before he was married, had kids and a job – before he suffered a fall during a firefight in Iraq. Internal scars still linger, both physically and mentally.
