[2] Abernathy finished 25th in the 37th World Championships in 2004 in Nagano, Japan, but did not compete in the 2005 championships in Park City, Utah, due to injuries suffered during homologation at the Cesana Pariol track in Cesana, Italy, three weeks earlier.

Abernathy suffered a serious accident during a World Cup race in Altenberg, Germany in January 2001 that resulted in a severe brain injury.

The therapy was successful and Abernathy was able to return to competition in time to qualify for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

During the Albertville Winter Olympics, she became the first athlete to compete with a camera on board, a feat that was nominated for an Emmy in technical broadcast achievement.

In the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, Abernathy became the first athlete to create an online diary (now known as a blog) which was an exclusive on AOL.