Yet another tragedy has struck in the ski and snowboard world. Though I do not know him personally, a lot of my friends do, and it hits really close to home. On January 3rd, pro snowboarder Danny Toumarkine was on a trip with friends in Montana when he sustained a traumatic brain injury. They built a backcountry jump with a landing that flowed near some trees. Danny overshot the jump and tried to gain control, but against all efforts, he ended up flying headfirst into the trees. Unfortunately, he wasn't wearing a helmet.
He had two emergency procedures, one of the left, and one of the right side of his head to relieve pressure. He has since been in a medical induced coma in the ICU, and the website http://dannyisthebomb.com/ has been created for constant updates on his condition. I must say that his brother Conor, and girlfriend (pro skier) Michelle Parker are fantastic writers. It's very obvious how loved Danny is, and I've become very attached to him through their words. I've heard from a lot of Windells campers that he was "that guy" who made sure all the campers had the best time they could possibly have while they were at camp.
Accidents like this are very controversial in this industry. The pessimists will show anger for his decision to not wear a helmet, while family and friends will show the deepest support. It's obvious that his family and friends show remorse for their decision to not wear helmets that day, and his brother has swore to always wear one from now on. I know it's a personal decision, but I believe that we all think differently... And sadly sometimes it takes a tragedy to open up your eyes. Regardless of his decision, I think this was a horrible tragedy. I'm keeping Danny and his family and friends in my thoughts and prayers.
