“It Won’t Always Feel Like This”
Brooke’s Van Rosendael’s Journey from Injury to Airborne
Just over a year ago, Brooke Van Rosendael was leading her company through an intense training cycle at Fort Walker, Virginia. As the Company Commander in her Army airborne unit, Brooke had just completed three back-to-back jumps in two days. The landings were tough, but manageable—but then an unexpected turn during a friendly kickball game changed everything.
“I went to kick the ball and just completely shattered my ankle in three places,” she recalls. “It turns out I probably had a stress fracture leading up to it. That kick was just the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
The injury was more than just painful—it was a massive disruption to Brooke’s life. An independent runner and hiker who regularly jumped out of aircrafts, she suddenly found herself unable to walk, drive, or even care for her dog. “For eight weeks, I couldn’t bear any weight on my ankle. I was riding a scooter around and relying on others for everything. That was hard.”
What got her through? A combination of things: her support system, physical therapy, and emotional support through counseling.
“My friends and family were incredible. I had a fellow veteran and his wife walking my dog every day. But physical therapy was really what gave me my life back,” she says. “My surgeon put my ankle back together—but Taylor and Neil at Cioffredi & Associates gave me the tools to rebuild my strength, range of motion, and confidence.”
Recovery wasn’t just physical. Brooke also sought emotional support through therapy to help process the trauma. “It was hard to face the idea that I might never run or jump again. Therapy helped me work through that and stay focused on what I could control.”
Today, Brooke is back—fully. Since her surgery, she’s completed ten jumps, earned her Senior Parachutist Wings as a Jumpmaster, and is returning to the Upper Valley to finish her graduate work at Tuck.
“I never used to worry about landings—but now I’m a little more cautious,” she laughs. “I’ve learned to be more aware and intentional, but I’m stronger for it.”
Brooke’s advice to others navigating injury and recovery?
“Do your physical therapy. Trust the process. It won’t always feel like this. It gets better if you put in the work.”
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