Sarah Burke, the freestyle skier who revolutionized women’s halfpipe skiing, succumbed to her injuries sustained in a ski crash and died peacefully in a Salt Lake City hospital.
According to KSL.com, University of Utah officials confirmed in a statement that Burke passed away at 9:22 a.m. while being surrounded by her family. As a result of the fall that occurred during a training run inside the halfpipe at Park City Mountain Resort, Burke suffered a ruptured vertebral artery, one of the four major arteries supplying blood to the brain. This led to severe bleeding. Emergency personnel performed CPR at the site of the accident, during which time she remained without a pulse or spontaneous breathing, the statement said.
At the hospital, Burke remained in a coma and on life support. Doctors later determined that Burke had sustained severe, irreversible damage to her brain due to lack of oxygen and blood after the cardiac arrest.
With her passing, the skiing world is left without a tireless role model and proponent of women’s athletics. After news of her death was announced, the internet was flooded with well wishes for Burke’s friends and family. On Burke’s personal website, an update states that, “On January 19, 2012, the snow industry lost a shining star. Sarah Burke, freeskiing pioneer, six-time X Games gold medalist and beloved wife, daughter, and friend passed away. Sarah was truly a legendary athlete, role model and an inspiration. She was everything so many of us aspire to be.”
The statement goes on to say, “Her life and legacy embody the true spirit of action sports; a movement of individuals driven to innovate, master and explore the frontier of physical possibility. Sarah’s love of skiing took her life to amazing places. Her accomplishments on skis continue to inspire girls everywhere to believe in themselves and follow their hearts. Her passing is not a cause to pack up our skis, but rather a reason to step in and ski for Sarah and the dreams that she inspired. In accordance with Sarah’s wishes, her organs and tissues were donated to help save the lives of others.”
If you’d like to share a memory of Sarah Burke, you are encouraged to do so on her website.
The best video we could find online of Sarah Burke is a featured segment from the Ski Channel film, “Winter.” Check it out below and see what a fun person and inspiring skier she was. Sarah Burke will truly be missed.