Skiers and snowboarders at a resort northeast of Toronto were in shock after learning that a 16-year-old boy died after being injured in a skiing accident.
Police said the teen fell and hit his head Friday night while skiing at the Lakeridge Ski Resort in Uxbridge, located around 70 kilometres from Toronto.
The teen, who was wearing a helmet, was found without vital signs.
He was taken to hospital and later transferred Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, where he succumbed to his injuries Saturday morning.
Skiers and snowboarders told CTV Toronto on Saturday that they were surprised and saddened to hear the news.
“Wow, I’m just shocked,” said one male skier.
“There’s lots of things that can happen especially with everyone else around you. There can be bad days and good days,” said snowboarder Chantal McFarlane. “Weather conditions are a really big part of it.”
Resort staff said the victim was injured after attempting a jump.
“He attempted to hit the jump at the bottom of the park and unfortunately didn’t complete the landing properly,” said John Tustian, the resort’s director of operations.
Resort staff said they were told by the victim’s friends that he was an experienced skier.
Staff said the incident should serve as a reminder that skiers and snowboarders must be vigilant about safety.
“Our terrain parks are helmets-mandatory. So I think the biggest thing is just to know what you’re getting into and what you’re doing,” said Tustian.
With a report by CTV Toronto’s Ashley Rowe
