Spectators and media were stunned at his amazing comeback from near disaster. The moment a man fears the speed, he fears the race. He'll be useless to his sport. So when he crashes, the instinct is to rise immediately and ski again. Maier couldn't conquer the downhill race, but he could conquer the crash.
Falls are a part of a skier's life.
The question is, what will be your reaction when you fall. A key part of Maier's survival was his supreme conditioning. He is prepared to survive high speed crashes. Such conditioning requires hours upon hours of time and attention, but pays off when something goes wrong. While a skier's conditioning is physical, ours is spiritual.