Loved ones mourn skier who died at NH mountain: 'Died doing what he loved'
“His life was skiing.”
That’s what loved ones said about a New Hampshire man who died after veering off a trail at a ski area on April 20.
The man, 39-year-old Eric Page, died while skiing at the Black Mountain Ski Area in Jackson, about 100 miles north of Concord, the Jackson Police Department said. According to authorities, no one witnessed what happened to Page, but someone who was passing by saw that he had gone off the trail and was hurt. The passerby then called for help.
Ski area staff found Page unresponsive near the Upper Maple Slalom trail. He was reportedly on the edge of the snow line, to the left of the trail, police said in a news release.
Staff tried to save him and took him to the base area, where first responders also made efforts to save his life. Page was eventually pronounced dead that day.
The New Hampshire Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said April 23 that Page's cause of death had been determined, but the office did not disclose it, citing confidentiality with the family.
When asked about his cause of death, his sister, Christine Freedman, said he died from head trauma.
New Hampshire man was ‘a legendary skier’
Page’s sister, Freedman, said skiing was his life.
“Growing up, we went every single weekend and as adults we constantly skied together with my two daughters,” Freedman told Paste BN in a text message. “My girls loved watching Uncle Eric do tricks and he made skiing so fun for them and everyone else he was with.”
Her older brother had a “big personality” and it was easy for him to make friends, she said. And in addition to his personality, he also had a huge heart, she said.
Her brother was well-respected for his talents in the Mount Washington Valley area, Freedman said.
“He truly was a legendary skier in the Mount Washington Valley,” she said. “He truly dropped jaws everywhere he went with his skiing abilities.”
Another one of his younger sisters, Sarah Page, said he was the “classic older brother,” often pranking her. He was a quick-witted and hilarious person, she said. He always had a comeback under his belt.
Their entire family skis, she said, adding that the sport boasts a huge, supportive community.
“The amount of people who have reached out to our family telling us all the wild memories of Eric has been so heartfelt but also devastating to think he's not here,” Sarah wrote.
And after his death, community members took to social media to remember the athlete. One social media user described Page as “infamous,” skilled, and was known to goof off and have fun.
“You were one of a kind, and my best friend,” user Jordan Hager wrote. “Life in NH will never be the same. I love you my friend I hope there is fresh powder In Heaven. I will continue to watch the door in the dark and listen for your knock, Till we meet again.”
‘He died doing what he loved’
Others who knew Page took his death as a reminder to cherish each second, each minute, and each day.
His sister, Sarah, said the day he died, he was doing something that meant a lot to him.
“The only comfort (if you'd call it that) we all have is knowing he died doing what he loved: skiing,” she told Paste BN.
In a video shared by his sisters, onlookers marveled at Page’s skills as he skied down Arapahoe Basin in Colorado.
“That was just one example of how people would talk about him everywhere when they saw him on the slopes,” said his sister, Sarah. “Even recently we were out skiing and I heard someone being like ‘Is that Eric Page? Do you think he's still got it?’ Then they see him send it in the park.”
After they saw him ski, they looked on in awe and remark:
“Oh yeah, he’s still got it!"
This story has been updated to add information.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on Paste BN's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.