another ski death

[SuperMoe]

Just thought I would post this here...not necessarily to add to the helmet vs. non discussion. One of the kids in our area just died today because of a head injury suffered by skiing. He was doing a jump, wasn't wearing a helmet, missed the jump, hit his head and didn't make it. The website is a blog that was set up to let people know how he was doing...pretty wrenching to read it, all the ups and downs that people go through.

https://www.kurtblake.blogspot.com/

I asked my students about him...some of the kids knew him (by name or very little) and were surprised when I told them. I asked a few of my boarder chicks if they wear helmets (I know they don't) Hopefully it might made them think when they're doing their jumps, etc.

Very, very sad.

 

[ski chick]

Oh how tragic. I read the blog- very heart wrenching. His family sounds like they have deep faith and it will sustain them through their loss.

Helmets, Helmets, Helmets. I can't say it enough.

 

[SnowHot]

I read the blog, and sort of wish I hadn't. This is the sort of thing that will weigh heavily on me, as I keep this family in my prayers.

 

[CMCM]

Another sad death at Heavenly Valley at N. Lake Tahoe on Thursday...a 14 year old girl, training with her ski team, skied off piste into the trees and body slammed a tree....the second accident of that nature in the Tahoe area in the last couple of weeks. Fast skiing, steep slopes, trees. Sometimes a very bad combination...

 

[Native Vail Gal]

With ski technology as it is....TEACH YOUR CHILDREN TO CONTROL THEIR SKIS!!!!!!! TEACH THEM HOW TO CONTROL THEIR SPEED!!!!!!

This just breaks my heart

 

[Sheena]

Man, more sad news.

This weekend at Beaver Mountain, a 15 year old girl died after hitting a tree. She was skiing with her friends, and turned to say something to another skier, and then flew into the trees and ran into a tree. According to the reports, she was wearing a helmet, but the force of the collision cracked her helmet.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Also a death at Wachusett within the last couple of weeks. Young male, not sure if skier or boarder, tree, no helmet.

 

[CMCM]

So terribly sad, but this is never surprising, I guess. I see these teens tearing down the slopes at unbelievable speeds....they're good, of course, but with skiing, being good isn't always enough and something can trip you up and off you go slamming into a tree....at such great speeds how can you control that kind of wipeout? Helmets are vital, of course, although a great many do not wear them. And even with a helmet, several recent deaths occurred due to the trauma of the body crashing into the tree, so the helmet didn't help. People just want to go fast. Really fast in some cases. I just don't think people should be allowed to ski/board as fast as some of them do. It's totally dangerous, to them and to others.

 

[Christy]

I can't believe the number of threads reporting deaths recently over at epic ski--at least 4 more this weekend (2 in Utah, 1 in Keystone, 1 in NY). All wearing helmets, all hitting trees.