Today, November 20, 2009, while we were in Wichita at the 2010 Midwestern Figure Skating Championships, the Broadmoor Skating Club skaters were notified that a fellow training mate and club member died tragically in a skiing accident at 11:45 AM in Breckenridge, Colorado.
Just last weekend, Haley's mother, Pat, had written on Facebook that her family had hit the slopes. In her post, she described the joy the family had experienced on top of a mountain in Colorado.
On Monday, I told Pat that I saw her post and wished I could take my family skiing soon. She and I chatted about skiing and Pat had told me that the family had purchased season passes for Breckenridge. I replied that our family's ski trips would have to be put on hold until after Junior Nationals.
Haley Gans was only fourteen years old. She was a beautiful person that was loved by everyone she touched.
The first time I met Haley was on the ice during the summer of 2006 or 2007. I was teaching Annabelle or Rebekah or Joel on a freestyle. We happened to say hello to Haley at the the music machine. Haley commented how great a skater Annabelle was!
Later on, I learned that Haley was deaf, but lived the life of a hearing person since she had cochlear implants surgically implanted in her ears. A cochlear implant (CI) is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing.
Like my own children, Haley had always been homeschooled, and I also discovered that her mother Pat and I had similar homeschooling styles. We both knew what unschooling was and used that style of homeschooling some of the time.
Just last summer, for her 14th birthday, Haley had a huge birthday party at Water World in Denver. I was so impressed with the party. Haley invited many of the Broadmoor skaters that were close to her age. She seemed to be overjoyed that so many kids wanted to celebrate her birthday with her. Rebekah had a wonderful time. Pat mentioned that she hoped Rebekah and Haley would get to spend more time together since the two girls were so much alike.
This year in particular, I had the joy of seeing Haley skate every day with Larry Ibarra. She and Larry skated at the same time as Rebekah and Joel on the 9:00 AM Dance/Pairs Session at the Colorado Springs World Arena. Larry was teaching Haley everything about pair skating. Each day Haley got better and better. She jumped in the clockwise direction, but Larry did amazing things with her! They would do throws in Haley's jumping direction, but death spirals in Larry's. The lifts they did were incredible.
Larry recently had gone to Florida with Haley and her family for a pair try-out. Haley so much wanted to find a pair partner and compete.
Just before we left for Midwesterns, Rebekah wore a new waltz dress to the rink. Haley loved Rebekah's dress and told Rebekah how pretty she looked in it. Also, she and Pat wished us well. That was only a few days ago...
My entire family loved Haley. Everyone loved her. My family's thoughts tonight are for Pat and John Gans and Haley's siblings, Rebekah and Jake.
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From the Denver Post 11-20-09
Girl Dies After Ski Accident At Breckenridge
A 14-year-old Colorado girl has died after an accident on an intermediate trail at Breckenridge Ski Resort. Haley Rose Gans, from Colorado Springs, was skiing on the Spruce Trail, a blue intermediate trail, when she apparently skied into a tree.
The resort said ski patrol was summoned to the trail at 11:48 a.m. Friday.
Gans was taken to Breckenridge Ski Resort, where she was pronounced dead.
Witnesses said the teen was skiing very fast and into a tree. The cause and manner of death are pending investigation, but are related to blunt force trauma of the chest.
Gans was wearing a helmet.
12 comments:
Hi Jo Ann. I'm an employee at Breckenridge that works closely with ski patrol. Please know we are all so sad and troubled by the loss of Haley. We are thinking of her family and friends like you.
Nikki
Haley was a child who I knew would test the boundaries whenever came across her. Such a special person I'm fortunate to know and to share with my child during the early years at Dandelion playgarden in Sebastopol, CA. She came from an exceptional family who supported her with full reverence in life, and I shall along with my family praise and celebrate Gans family and Haley Gans family for the world they have lived and remember them for it for years to come and many afterlives. Such a tragedy but one must remember the beauty life has beseeched upon us. The MacAulays
My daughter Megan skated with Haley when Haley lived in Santa Rosa Ca. She was a great ice buddy and loved to skate fast, no one could catch her! She was a star at snoopys home ice, thrilling all of us with her imaginative, theatrical programs, from the wind up doll to mary poppins to her wonderful clown program. She was usually recalled and we loved to cheer her on. We are shocked and saddened to her about her tragic accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with Pat and family on this tragic day. We will always remember Haley Gans as a beautiful young girl, skater, friend.
Kathleen and Megan Molavi
SRFSC Snoopys Home Ice
Santa Rosa, Ca.
I did not know her but wanted to pass along condolences to her family and friends. As with any loss of life, it is a terrible tragedy. We in Breckenridge are profoundly saddened.
What a horrific tragedy. I am so sorry for your loss & my heart & prayers go out to Haley's family. Although I don't know them, I read about this story through the post on Facebook. Earlier, I had heard about the accident-initially through another posting, that of one of our local news channels, again-on FB. But, then reading more about it, just makes me feel so horrible for all of her loved ones & to know the life was taken from a young girl, way too soon. So sorry...
Such a tragic loss to the Gans family as well as the Broodmoor Skating Club family.
My Grandchild, Abbie, knew Haley and told me that Haley made her feel "at home" when she began skating in Colorado Springs. Abbie, as well as the rest of our family is deeply saddended by the passing of this greatly loved and appreciated child.
Haley had a special place in our hearts. We were her Deaf family since she was a baby and that was how she learned American Sign Language, an accessible language at such a young age, which most deaf children are not grated the same privilege. My Deaf mother, known as Haley's "Deaf grandma", traveled with Gans family to Switzerland and stayed there for a month. That was when Haley really picked up language.
My daughter, Katrina, also a cochlear implant user, always have seen Haley as a role mode. Katrina started ice skating while we lived in Kansas and hoped she'll ice skate with Haley when we moved back to California.
Please let me mention a little bit about cochlear implants. Ppeople do not realize it may behurtful to Deaf people when hearing people see cochlear implanted person as someone who Ccan live "a life of a hearing person" as if it is not good to be deaf. My daughter is Deaf and loves her Deaf culture. Thank you for understanding. We always have seen Haley as part of us.
We are so sad, but knowing how much Haley loved life, she wouldnt want us to be teary eyed for too long.
Haley was special to us and we will always keep her close to our hearts.
Nikki Horrell-Schmitz and family
Our prayers are with Pat and all of Haley's family. Haley touched our lives here in Santa Rosa with her inspiring improvisations on the ice, her beautiful elegance beyond her years, and her wondrous, playful creative approach to life. Our earlier memories in the rink are filled with memories of Haley, Alex ( my daughter) and Megan together in performances, synchronized team, with their coach Colleen and an especially found memory in their group number "I wanna be like you".
All the skaters wanted to be more like Haley. Her joy was contagious. We will always remember the enduring light Haley brought to our lives.
Jan Bischak
My wife and I were on the Colorado Super Chair Friday at Breckenridge and saw the ski patrol working on Haley. We didn't know who it was, but we knew the situation was serious because we could see a ski patrol member performing vigorous CPR. Everyone on the lift was depressed. We said prayers for the then unknown skiier who we knew was seriously injured. Since learning that the skier was Haley and that she had not survived her injuries, we have added her family to our prayers.
I skated with Haley at Snoopy's in Santa Rosa, and she was one of the sweetest people I've ever known. What a smile! And she was such a beautiful skater, I've never seen anyone her age so graceful on the ice.
I was so shocked when I heard about her death, please send my condolences to her family.
Coming up on 10 years now, I’m getting a sense of nostalgia. I’ve been missing Haley more and more in the recent months, approaching the anniversary.
I’ve known Haley since kindergarten, we were about 3 years old. We did everything together throughout the years, from ice skating, horseback riding, circus, you name it, were pretty much inseparable. Although she was the leader and I was more of a follower, we had our fair share of disagreements. But somehow, that didn’t deter our friendship. She taught my ASL, and we communicated primarily in that language, despite her having first one, then two Cochlear Implants. I got to watch the interpreters on a daily basis in class unfold the visuals of the stories which was incredibly fascinating. Which lead me to become an interpreter myself, with her light shining next to me. I can’t begin to describe the amount of love I had and still have for her and her family. They truly are very close to my heart.
They say “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”, but in reality, if you don’t had sugar and water, it’s going to taste sour. Knowing Haley’s personality, and how motivated she was to overcome any obstacle, skating her heart out even when her CI batteries ran out, and the music glitched, she carelessly continued creating her routine with utmost grace and perfection all the while not knowing that the music had shut off. It was incredible! She continues to inspire me everyday and I am so happy to be able to read everyone's comments and see the joy she spread to others as well.
I miss you Haley Rose Gans.
Lots of Love,
Mandy Slater
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