Davis, Sugar Bowl mourn death of 7-year-old skier
A 7-year-old boy who died after falling an estimated 60 feet from a chairlift at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort has been identified as a Davis resident.
John Henderson died Tuesday at Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, where he had been airlifted following the Sunday-morning fall from the Mount Lincoln Express chairlift.
John was in his second year as a member of the Sugar Bowl ski team, said executive director Bill Hudson, who described the boy as “an expert skier for his age.”
“It’s a close-knit community, and at this point we’re giving our heartfelt wishes for his family and honoring him,” Hudson said Wednesday. “He was an excellent skier, and he loved the sport tremendously — loved being on the mountain.”
Hudson said plans are being made for services to honor John at the Sugar Bowl resort.
Sugar Bowl spokesman John Monson said John was riding the lift with two other children around the same age when he fell at about 11:15 a.m. Sunday.
The fall occurred in an area of exposed rock partially covered by snow, said Jim Powell, a Davis resident who was chaperoning the Davis High School ski team’s field trip to Sugar Bowl last weekend. He rode the same chairlift over the area just moments later.
“It did not look good. An adult would not have survived that fall,” said Powell, who passed over the scene as ski patrol members were responding. He said he later saw the boy receiving CPR while being transported down the mountain on a sled.
“At the same time I looked up, and there was a helicopter coming in,” Powell said.
An investigation by state officials and the Sugar Bowl Corp. is ongoing, and a state-led inspection of the Mount Lincoln Express lift following the fall revealed no abnormalities, according to Monson.
“We’re trying to work through what happened,” Monson said, adding that there were conflicting reports as to what preceded the fall. “It’s our responsibility to gather all statements and determine what happened.”
The Sugar Bowl ski team has about 400 members ranging in age from 5 to 18. The incident occurred during an annual three-day ski trip for members of the Davis High School ski team. The two teams are not affiliated.
Sugar Bowl’s ski team is “arguably the best ski team in the Tahoe area. They really produce some fantastic skiers,” said DHS ski coach Bob Brewer, who was at the resort when the fall happened but did not witness it.
“It’s a horrible, horrible thing to happen to a family,” Brewer said. “But this is atypical — it’s a freak accident.”
The boy reportedly was wearing a helmet, as is required of all ski team members, said Brewer, who added that it’s not unusual to see young ski team members riding the lifts on their own.
Fatalities involving chairlifts are rare, according to the California Ski and Snowboard Safety Organization, which reports 12 such deaths occurring nationwide since 1973.
Information about use of the lift’s safety bar at the time of the fall was not available, but Powell, the DHS parent, said he noticed that the lift operators were “making a point of pulling the bar down” regardless of whether there were children or adults on board.
“I saw them do it all the time — I’ve never really seen that anywhere else,” Powell said. “For most kids, that becomes the safety barrier.”
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Posted by Lauren Keene
on Dec 21 2011.
Last Login: Mon 21 May 2012 04:26:23 PM PDT
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Maybe the ski team should have a policy that kids under a certain age must go with an older skiier or an adult. How “excellent” a skiier can a 7 year old boy really be? This is just a horrible tragedy.
The Sugar Bowl ski team is full of excellent skiiers, from 5 to 18. John being one of them. You would understand the excellance more if yourself skiied Sugar Bowl. These kids will out ski their parents, and experienced adult riders all day long.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the Henderson family in their time of grief.
My heartfelt condolences to the Henderson family….I am so sorry for the loss of your little boy. As a parent who thinks of skiing as a wonderful family activity, this tragic accident is a harsh reminder of the dangers that come with the sport.
I am so sorry for the Henderson family’s loss. Your community grieves with you and supports you always.
I’m so sorry. Yes, your community grieves with you, Henderson Family and friends..
Clearly you’ve never seen these little guys ski. They are mind blowing. Sugar Bowl developed Daren Rhalves. I was five when I was riding a lift alone at Sugar Bowl and they were NOT detachable quads and did NOT have safety bars. What should we do with our kids? Let them sit on the couch, play video games, get fat, and die of diabetes instead?
What a horrible thing to happen to such an amazing family. Jessica and your parents, I’m incredibly sorry for your loss. I can’t even begin to imagine. My thoughts are with you.
I am overcome with grief for John’s family. May God bless his soul. May God give strength to the mom and dad.
I could not imagine the grief of losing your little
One? I’m a father of two, 6 and 8. This is
Not how it’s supposed to be. It’s an accident,
Not your fault! So sorry!!!!!!
I did not know John or his family, but I have been grief stricken by his death ever since I heard about it. I have a 7 year old boy myself and I can’t imagine how his family is coping with such a loss, especially right before the holidays. Sometimes late at night when I am awake thinking about why this tragedy had to happen, I hope that maybe if I am carrying some of the sorrow, his own mother can be getting some rest. I don’t think a parent ever really gets over the loss of a child, but maybe a little peace can be found in the book titled “Journey of Souls”.
This was a very sad and preventable death.
My deepest condolences to the Henderson family. John was in my daughter’s Kindergarten class and we will always remember him as being a cute, funny, energetic and friendly member of the Merryhill community. His loss is tragic and may God bring the family peace in his memory.
There should be a policy that states no one under 14 can ride the lift without an adult over 18. This is a terrible tragedy that could have been prevented! I’d be furious if I were his parents! No matter how excellent a skier he was considered makes no difference in this situation. He’s still a child that should have proper supervision on something dangerous, NO ACCEPTIONS!