Requesting AZ'ers help

[skiNEwhere]

This has been weighing on my mind for a little while, especially after reading the post I just made http://www.necn.com/02/01/14/Skier-...g.html?&apID=4e3c8327b9d94da79b227e25679ac15c where that skier died in a spot close to where my mom died.

I think I've only mentioned this story a maximum of twice on this site.

So the date was March 5th, 2002. I was in my Sophomore year of HS and 16 at the time. My mother, Linda Silva, my sister and I were going to go skiing together. We went to Sugarbush, and had already enjoyed a couple days of skiing. My mother is a very experienced skier, she has been skiing longer than I had been alive at the time (20+ years), but she was still very conservative. My sister and I are a little more aggressive, so we would get down the slopes first.

So we decided to go over to Mount Ellen. We went up close to the top of the mountain, then they went down "Upper Lookin' Good", an intermediate trail. My sister and I got down first, of course, and waited for my mother to come down. And we waited. And waited. But she didn't come down. So we went up whatever chairlift was there in '02 that took us to 2/3's up the mountain. We skied down the trail, and saw a crowd of people around the edge of the trail. It was my mother, barely conscious laying on the ground. Ski patrol came and took her to the bottom, but there was nothing they could do for her there, so they transferred her to a hospital. They performed immediate surgery, but she died a few hours later, the cause being a cardiac arrest. I think she hit the tree mainly with her chest, which is what caused the cardiac arrest, but I try not to think about it.

And I haven't, for a while. But I'm trying to find articles on this, and having very little success.

All I've found is this:
http://list.uvm.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A3=ind0203B&L=SKIVT-L&E=0&P=25453&B=--&T=text/plain
And this:
http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/66883/march-7-2002---news-at-glance/

I've searched with google, bing, and yahoo.

I know NECN had a short video segment but I can't find that.

Are there any central resources or databases for this? Does anyone know SB patrollers from 02? Does anyone work at a local news station with archive access? I'm trying to get as much info as possible, if any of you guys could help me out it would mean A LOT.

Thanks

 

[Nick]

Wow man. Im so sorry to hear this and for your loss. 12 years sounds like a long time to a lot of people but for anyone who has lost someone close to them it doesn't feel that long ago at all . I lost my dad in 06 and my mom in 12 and I can still remember them like it was yesterday.

Not sure I have much in the way of info to help. Maybe someone on SkiMRV might have info?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[Abubob]

I would try contacting these agencies directly.

 

[ScottySkis]

Don't know how to help. I really sorry that your mom passed but at least she was With you and her all of family doing what she loved when it happened.

 

[Scruffy]

Don't know how to help. I really sorry that your mom passed but at least she was With you and her all of family doing what she loved when it happened.

+1 It's so sad to hear of a tragedy around someone doing something that should be fun. The fact that you still ski is cool, and your paying homage to her every turn you make.

 

[mlctvt]

So sorry to hear about your mother. I've lost both of my parents and I think about them often, I fully understand your desire to seek information about that day.
I'd try to contact the mountain ski patrol. Be honest and tell them why you are asking as they may be cautious due to lawsuits etc. Perhaps a ski patrol person working that day still works there. This is something that would stay with anyone who tried to help your mom.

 

[deadheadskier]

Man......so sorry skiNEwhere. I was completely unaware you've gone through this. So sad

I'd recommend contacting the Burlington Free Press. I'm sure they have archives, though maybe not online as I'm not sure what their web presence was like twelve years ago. I bet Burlington's Public Library has the daily papers from that time archived.

 

[Cornhead]

Wow, what a tragic story, condolences, your Mom would be proud that you didn't let this terrible accident end your skiing life. I can't imagine being in your, and your Sister's position on that day. When I was 12 my school bus drove past an automobile accident my Mom and Sister were involved in, I didn't have the balls to get off the bus, it looked bad. The remainder of that bus ride home was the longest ride of my life. My older Sister met me at the bus stop, and confirmed that our car was involved, but everyone was OK. Good luck in your quest for more info.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[jimk]

Very tough story and you did an awesome job recovering and continuing on with your own life. Your mom sounds like a neat lady and left this world much too soon. I've lost both my folks now, but they had good long lives and closure came more easily to me because of that. I don't know the definitive statistics, but was just reading the other day that one of the major causes of ski fatalities is blunt force trauma to the thoracic region (chest) and that often this is associated with heart damage like tears to the aorta. This is in no way any consolation and what happened to your mom was terrible, but it's not unheard of and is, in fact, classified by some as the most common cause of fatal recreational ski injury, "skier lost control, hit tree." Even the profile of victims sounds a bit like your mom. Although she was not an aggressive 25 year old male, she was a good skier probably moving at an appropriate rate on an intermediate groomer with enough momentum that if she lost an edge and hit a tree off the side of the trail it could result in a serious impact. This somewhat dated study (2000) gives more details: http://www.wms.org/news/snowboard.asp
Here is another, newer report (2014) that also points to collisions with trees as a main factor in ski fatalities: http://www.ski-injury.com/intro

L-O-V-E Scruffy's comment that you honor your mom with every run you take! The thought that my family might have that attitude if something like that happened to me pleases me more than I can say.

 

[legalskier]

What a terrible ordeal. My deepest sympathies.

I'm trying to find articles on this, and having very little success.

I've searched with google, bing, and yahoo. ***

Are there any central resources or databases for this? Does anyone know SB patrollers from 02? Does anyone work at a local news station with archive access? I'm trying to get as much info as possible, if any of you guys could help me out it would mean A LOT.

Thanks

The Denver Post recently reported on the problems with obtaining information from skiing accidents:

Colorado system for investigating ski accidents raises concerns-
First of a three-part Denver Post investigative series
Read more: Colorado system for investigating ski accidents raises concerns - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/ci_228083...g-ski-accidents-raises-concerns#ixzz2sH51WBQu

It wouldn't surprise me if the same problems exists in the East.

 

[skiNEwhere]

Colorado system for investigating ski accidents raises concerns-
First of a three-part Denver Post investigative series
Read more: Colorado system for investigating ski accidents raises concerns - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/ci_228083...g-ski-accidents-raises-concerns#ixzz2sH51WBQu

It wouldn't surprise me if the same problems exists in the East.

I remember reading that article not too long ago, there are a lot of good points in there.


I appreciate everyone's thoughts, it means a lot.

I did contact NECN before I even posted this, and I still haven't gotten a reply. If anyone knows anyone in the news biz and would be able to help me out, I'd be very grateful.

 

[WWF-VT]

Sorry to hear of your loss. The Valley Reporter is the local paper that might have additonal information.

http://www.valleyreporter.com/index.php/en/

802-496-3928 http://forums.alpinezone.com/index.php/en/vr-info/the-valley-reporter-contact-information

 

[MadMadWorld]

This has been weighing on my mind for a little while, especially after reading the post I just made http://www.necn.com/02/01/14/Skier-...g.html?&apID=4e3c8327b9d94da79b227e25679ac15c where that skier died in a spot close to where my mom died.

I think I've only mentioned this story a maximum of twice on this site.

So the date was March 5th, 2002. I was in my Sophomore year of HS and 16 at the time. My mother, Linda Silva, my sister and I were going to go skiing together. We went to Sugarbush, and had already enjoyed a couple days of skiing. My mother is a very experienced skier, she has been skiing longer than I had been alive at the time (20+ years), but she was still very conservative. My sister and I are a little more aggressive, so we would get down the slopes first.

So we decided to go over to Mount Ellen. We went up close to the top of the mountain, then they went down "Upper Lookin' Good", an intermediate trail. My sister and I got down first, of course, and waited for my mother to come down. And we waited. And waited. But she didn't come down. So we went up whatever chairlift was there in '02 that took us to 2/3's up the mountain. We skied down the trail, and saw a crowd of people around the edge of the trail. It was my mother, barely conscious laying on the ground. Ski patrol came and took her to the bottom, but there was nothing they could do for her there, so they transferred her to a hospital. They performed immediate surgery, but she died a few hours later, the cause being a cardiac arrest. I think she hit the tree mainly with her chest, which is what caused the cardiac arrest, but I try not to think about it.

And I haven't, for a while. But I'm trying to find articles on this, and having very little success.

All I've found is this:
http://list.uvm.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A3=ind0203B&L=SKIVT-L&E=0&P=25453&B=--&T=text/plain
And this:
http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/66883/march-7-2002---news-at-glance/

I've searched with google, bing, and yahoo.

I know NECN had a short video segment but I can't find that.

Are there any central resources or databases for this? Does anyone know SB patrollers from 02? Does anyone work at a local news station with archive access? I'm trying to get as much info as possible, if any of you guys could help me out it would mean A LOT.

Thanks

Wow man I am so sorry. I'm sure that story stirred up a lot of old feelings. A friend of mine was a patroller at Sugarbush. He either started in 01-02 or 02-03 I can't remember. Not sure if he could help much but I would pass along his info if it would help you in any way. Shoot me a message if your interested.