Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah — Over the weekend, a skier was killed in a tragic accident at Solitude Mountain Resort.
On Saturday, February 22nd, a skier was going down the Middle Slope trail at Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah. The person crashed into a tree at the bottom of the steep, double black diamond run. He was skiing with protective gear, which included a helmet. Ski patrollers tried to revive him, but it was too late.
The individual has been identified as Daniel Negrelli, a 53-year-old male from Canton, Connecticut. In Connecticut, he taught computer applications and hiking at Prince Tech High School for 14 years. In addition, he was a ski patroller at Ski Sundown for the past seven years. Jeff Barter, who’s the Ski Patrol Director at Ski Sundown, issued the following statement to FOX 61:
“Dan was a ski patroller at Ski Sundown, and has been a very valued member of our patrol family for the last seven years. He was an amazing guy, very outgoing, and the type of person everyone would gravitate towards. In addition to being a very capable patroller and accomplished skier, Dan enjoyed teaching, and had been a key part of our team of instructors working with new incoming patrollers for several years.”
People fondly remember him in the town of Killington, Vermont, where he spent a lot of time. He was also employed by Killington Resort since 1997 as part of their ski school. Killington Resort issued the following statement to NBC 5 News:
“Over the years, he made a lasting impact as a mentor, leader, and friend to many within our community. Dan’s love for skiing and teaching was evident in everything he did. He was not only a dedicated instructor but also a passionate supporter of the sport, always willing to share his knowledge and enthusiasm with others. His presence on the mountain will be sorely missed.”
A GoFundMe has been set up to support Daniel’s family. One contributor mentioned Daniel’s contributions towards becoming an avid skier:
“I don’t remember many of my first ski instructors, but it’s impossible to forget Dan. I was maybe six years old in the Killington ‘Mini Stars’ program when I got the silliest, goofiest bearded coach who built my confidence and made skiing the most fun thing in the world. I’m almost 30 now, living and skiing in the Rockies, and Dan’s attitude towards the sport has stuck with me all these years. Thanks to him, I can ski anything, and I still think skiing is the most fun thing in the world. He will be so greatly missed—sending my deepest condolences.”
We here at Unofficial Networks send our condolences to Daniel’s family and friends during this challenging time.
Image/Video Credits: Solitude Mountain Resort, Ski-N-Ian, The Negrelli Family, NBC 5
