Courtney Godfrey: The Unsinkable Story of the Journalist Who Changed Laws and Conquered the Mountain

Courtney Godfrey is a familiar, trusted face in Twin Cities news, but the story she tells outside of her broadcast reports is arguably her most compelling. Far from a formulaic media personality, Godfrey’s journey is a powerful testament to resilience, pivoting her life’s purpose from merely covering the news to actively making it—both on the airwaves and on the world’s competitive slopes.

In a field often focused on the next breaking story, Godfrey’s own life broke in a dramatic, life-altering way. Yet, her response to a devastating accident transformed her from a dedicated journalist into a passionate advocate, a humanitarian board member, and a U.S. Para-Snowboard team athlete.¹ This is the story of a perpetual truth-seeker who learned the hardest truths about her own strength.

I. Introduction: The Journalist Who Refused to Be Limited

Courtney Godfrey’s public life is a powerful trilogy of dedication, courage, and relentless policy reform. She is widely known as a fixture of Minnesota television news, a seasoned reporter who operates on the front lines of breaking stories and tackles complex investigative work.

Yet, her life story gained national resonance when a devastating personal tragedy propelled her into the roles of a legislative advocate, a competitive World Cup para-athlete, and a vocal mentor for others facing trauma.

The narrative of Godfrey’s life is one that transcends simple professional accomplishment. It is the story of a highly determined individual who took a catastrophic personal event—the loss of her left leg—and transformed it into a powerful, multifaceted platform for public good.

By merging her journalistic tenacity with her subsequent lived experience, she has redefined her public mission, using her resilience to challenge insurance giants, lobby members of Congress, and inspire others to embrace adaptability.

Her authority in the media landscape is verified by her decades of experience and academic rigor, establishing the trust necessary to support her expansive work in policy and sport, fulfilling the highest standards of expertise and contribution.

II. Chapter 1: The Perpetual Truth Seeker: Journalism and Intellectual Authority

A. Professional Roots and Reach

Before her personal life became a subject of public attention, Courtney Godfrey established herself as a credible and tenacious veteran television reporter.

Currently serving as a reporter for FOX 9 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, she is relied upon by viewers for critical coverage across the Twin Cities metro area and beyond.

Her early career demonstrated a commitment to broad, high-stakes reporting, taking her across the country to major media markets, including assignments in New York City and San Francisco.

This professional grounding allowed her reporting to achieve national visibility, with her work appearing on platforms like CNN.com and the Fox News Channel.

Her commitment to journalism is supported by a strong academic foundation. Godfrey is a graduate of the University of Arizona and further solidified her credentials by obtaining a Masters of Mass Communication from the renowned Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University.

This high level of formal training provides the intellectual rigor and ethical commitment that anchors her field reporting, making her a trusted voice in local news.

B. A Journalist Who Challenges Power

Godfrey self-identifies as a “perpetual truth seeker” who is committed to “pulling back the curtain” on hidden stories.¹ While she is frequently on the scene covering breaking news, she also dedicates significant time to long-form investigative journalism and deep-dive profiles.

Her investigative history reveals a pattern of holding established entities and powerful individuals accountable, demonstrating the analytical depth required to tackle complex systemic problems.

In a highly visible example from 2019, Godfrey utilized a series of public records requests to reveal a disturbing case of institutional evasion.

Her reporting detailed how an off-duty sheriff’s detective allegedly used his professional seniority and experience to avoid arrest following a serious car crash that occurred after a night of drinking.

This investigation showcased her ability to use the tools of journalism to ensure equal application of the law, regardless of the individual’s position.

Earlier in her career, in 2017, her focus on state-licensed entities also yielded concrete results. Her reporting on a law-breaking bail bondsman led directly to the state revoking the individual’s license.

The deep analytical skills required to manage public records requests, synthesize complex data, and build an airtight investigative case against powerful figures established a professional template that would prove invaluable later in her career when she shifted to policy advocacy.

She possessed the proven ability to dissect complex systems and expose hidden injustice, whether in law enforcement or in the insurance industry.

III. Chapter 2: September 15, 2017: The Crucible of Change

A. The Accident and the Immediate Aftermath

The trajectory of Courtney Godfrey’s life shifted dramatically on September 15, 2017. She and her husband, Ryan Novaczyk, were spending a day on Christmas Lake in Minnetonka, enjoying typical summer lake activities, including wakeboarding, skiing, and cruising.

During the outing, her husband made a sharp turn, and Godfrey was thrown overboard. Tragically, her left foot became entangled in the boat’s propeller, an event she later characterized as a “freak accident” and “traumatic”. The severe injury necessitated the loss of her left leg below the knee.¹

Just one week after the accident, upon her release from the hospital, Godfrey made a definitive public statement about her future. She announced that she was committing to “a new way of thinking, a new way of doing, a new way of feeling”.

This declaration was not one of defeat, but of proactive resilience. She cemented this philosophy with a crucial, defining statement: “I may have lost a leg, but I’m still me”.

B. The Symbolic Return to Normalcy

The recovery process was described as long and painful, yet the journalist maintained her “positivity and drive”. The speed of her physical and mental comeback was remarkable, serving as an immediate testament to her inner strength.

Despite the injury, she found the resolve to return to all the activities she enjoyed before the accident. Within four months of the amputation, Godfrey was back participating in winter sports, specifically returning to her snowboard. Beyond physical fitness, she quickly returned to her professional life at FOX 9 and her favorite fitness classes.

Perhaps the most potent symbol of her determination was her choice to return to wearing high heels. For a public-facing television reporter, returning to aesthetically valued items like high heels is a powerful, non-verbal affirmation of personal control.

It signaled to the world that she would not allow the trauma to limit her professional presentation or redefine her identity, transforming her prosthesis from a medical device into an extension of her enduring self.

The emotional complexity of the event is heightened by the fact that her husband, Ryan, was operating the boat when she was injured.

Navigating this trauma as a couple, and subsequently fighting insurance companies that likely tried to exploit “household exclusion” clauses, forged a deep familial resilience that became central to her later legislative efforts.

IV. Chapter 3: Legislative Advocacy: Defeating the Fine Print

Godfrey’s professional skill set—her relentless curiosity, her mastery of public information, and her command of the public platform—was seamlessly transferred from the newsroom to the legislative arena.

She transformed her personal catastrophe into a powerful engine for policy change, becoming an aggressive advocate for the amputee community.

A. The Advocate’s Personal Mission

Godfrey dedicates significant time to mentoring new amputees, providing one-on-one peer support, and making frequent hospital visits.

Her public speaking engagements focus on sharing her story of recovery, challenging others to turn “sorrow into triumph,” and providing tools for adapting to massive life changes. She emphasizes using doubt and apprehension to achieve personal growth.

This advocacy is formalized through her non-profit roles. She serves on the board of the nationally recognized amputee non-profit, Wiggle Your Toes, which she joined in 2018.

She also serves on the board of the Hennepin Healthcare Foundation, supporting one of Minnesota’s largest hospital systems.

B. The Policy Battleground

Godfrey’s greatest political impact arose directly from her personal legal struggles. Following the accident, she sought liability coverage from her insurance carriers, including State Farm and the Government Employers Insurance Company (GEICO).

The ensuing lawsuit addressed liability coverage related to her injury on her husband’s boat. However, a district court granted summary judgment for the insurers, and the ruling was affirmed on appeal in 2021.

The courts upheld existing Minnesota law regarding “household exclusion clauses,” which prevent family members from collecting certain types of liability damages from policies like those covering boats.

This legal setback, which highlighted a systemic failure to protect families, motivated her next critical move. The personal defeat she experienced by the upholding of this clause directly informed and catalyzed her subsequent legislative campaign.

She utilized her public platform and investigative skills to challenge the legislature itself, seeking to solve a problem that the courts were bound to uphold under existing statute.

C. The 2023 Policy Victory

In 2023, Godfrey successfully spearheaded a targeted lobbying effort at the state level. She persuaded the Minnesota legislature to outlaw a secretive practice by insurance carriers to exclude children and spouses from boat policies.

This groundbreaking change established a critical new protection for Minnesota families, directly eliminating the loophole she had experienced first-hand.

This legislative victory demonstrated that she successfully leveraged her visible media career (FOX 9) to gain access to, and influence over, policymakers.

Beyond this immediate fix, Godfrey continues to lobby for broader systemic improvements, advocating for amputee rights at the state and federal level, including lobbying members of the U.S. Congress.

She has been a key part of a broader movement to expand essential health insurance coverage for all amputees.

The following table summarizes her commitment to policy and community service:

Courtney Godfrey’s Legislative and Non-Profit Impact

V. Chapter 4: On the World Stage: The Para-Athlete and Broadcaster

The journey back to the slopes four months post-amputation quickly evolved from personal therapy into elite competition. Courtney Godfrey embraced adaptive sports with the same intensity she brought to the newsroom, moving from a weekend enthusiast to an international competitor.

A. Transition to Elite Sports

Courtney Godfrey became a World Cup para-snowboard athlete and a former member of the U.S. Para Snowboard team. She competes in the SB-LL2 classification, reserved for athletes with a significant impairment below the knee.

Her focus lies primarily on the competitive disciplines of Snowboard Cross and Parallel Slalom, which demand high speed, precision, and aggressive maneuvering.

Her dedication to the sport is verifiable through international competitive results. World Cup records show her competing against top international athletes, including a notable 5th place finish in one event with a time of 1:11.53.

These athletic achievements serve to further validate her commitment to personal growth and physical conquest of her trauma.

Courtney Godfrey’s Para-Snowboarding Profile

B. The Symbiosis of Career and Sport

The fusion of her athletic life and her professional media career created a powerful synergy. Godfrey’s standing in the adaptive sports world has provided her with a unique platform in journalism, recognized by her selection as a co-host for NBC’s coverage of the 2026 Paralympic Games.

This role is a perfect marriage of her two specialized fields, confirming that her athletic pursuits are not a distraction from her journalism but rather an extension of it, providing specialized domain expertise few other reporters possess.

Her layered identity as a journalist, athlete, and advocate maximizes her credibility and influence across all her public endeavors.

VI. Chapter 5: The Ultimate Triumph: Family and Perspective

Amidst her demanding schedule of reporting, competing, and lobbying, Godfrey prioritizes her family life. She resides in Minnetonka with her husband, Ryan Novaczyk, and their two young children. The birth of her children offered a new, vital perspective on the challenges she had overcome.

A. Callan’s Arrival and the Humorous Anecdote

The couple welcomed their first son, Callan (Cal), on his due date, Monday, September 30, 2019, weighing exactly eight pounds.

 The arrival was marked by a moment of characteristic professional flair and human humor. While enduring labor contractions all day at home before heading to the hospital, Godfrey took a detour for a crucial bit of self-care. She recounted going “for an eyebrow wax amid contractions—gotta look good to meet my son!”.

 This anecdote captures her blend of intense focus and lighthearted determination even in the face of immense pressure.

B. A New Measure of Challenge

The experience of motherhood provided a profound shift in her understanding of difficulty and reward. Reflecting on the demands of caring for her newborn, she admitted, “Every mom reading this knows—I can already say this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done and at the same time the absolute greatest”.

Crucially, the joy of motherhood was intrinsically linked to the trauma she had successfully navigated two years prior.

Holding her newborn, she reflected on the challenges she and Ryan faced following the accident, concluding that the adversity provided a newfound sense of clarity and gratitude. She stated, “We are so grateful, as life and everything that’s led us here is now so abundantly clear”.

By connecting the adversity of her injury to her current fulfillment, she successfully reframes her trauma as a critical, necessary part of her journey, achieving a sophisticated narrative of profound resilience.

VII. Conclusion: The Legacy of Contribution

Courtney Godfrey’s life story is a compelling testament to the power of adaptation and the efficacy of using one’s platform for public good. She is not merely a reporter who survived an accident; she is an award-winning journalist whose professional skills armed her for a new career as a legislative policy reformer.

Her successful 2023 campaign to outlaw secretive insurance practices that exploited family members represents a tangible legacy—a permanent change in Minnesota law ensuring that future families will not face the same legal vulnerability she encountered.

Coupled with her tireless non-profit work, peer mentorship, and advocacy for expanded insurance coverage for amputees nationwide, her contribution reaches far beyond the Twin Cities media market.

By conquering the slopes as a World Cup athlete and translating that expertise into a major broadcasting role for the 2026 Paralympics, she proves that physical limitations are merely new challenges to be overcome.

Ultimately, Courtney Godfrey’s story is defined not by the trauma of what she lost, but by the extraordinary, multi-layered life she chose to build in its place—a life rooted in perpetual truth-seeking, resilience, and contribution. She remains a powerful figure whose work continues to inform, advocate, and inspire.

Her journey answers the question “What does Courtney Godfrey do for a living?” with a simple answer: She lives to uncover the truth—and in doing so, she found her own.

Notable Colleagues & Peers

• Kelcey Carlson: Evening Anchor at FOX 9.

• Jason Matheson: Host of The Jason Show (FOX 9).

• Jennifer McDermed: Meteorologist at FOX 9.

Courtney Godfrey Key Facts at a Glance

For those searching for details on the woman who redefined what it means to adapt, here are the essential Courtney Godfrey facts:

Sources & References

1. FOX 9 KMSP Official Bio: “Courtney Godfrey – Reporter.”

2. Wiggle Your Toes: Board Member Listings and Event Archives.

3. Team USA / World Para Snowboard: Athlete race results and World Cup standings.

4. Twin Cities Business Magazine: Profiles on local media personalities (Novaczyk family mentions).

5. Star Tribune: Archives covering the 2017 Christmas Lake accident and subsequent recovery.

6. LinkedIn: Courtney Godfrey Professional Experience & Education verification.

7. Emmy Awards (Upper Midwest Chapter): Recipient lists for investigative journalism.