The ski world, stunned by her death, is equally stunned by the cause of it. Burke was performing a flat spin 540, an easy trick for her, when she fell and hit her head. “It’s pretty clear this injury was more of a freak accident than it was caused by anything in specific terms,” said Canadian Freestyle Ski Association CEO Peter Judge. “Those around her are having a tough time reconciling the nature of the injury with what eventually transpired. It seems to me more of a fluke outcome than anything else.”
The medical cause of her death was cardiac arrest and lack of oxygen to the brain, brought on by a torn artery and bleeding. The family’s statement says:
“As the result of Sarah’s fall, she suffered a ruptured vertebral artery, one of the four major arteries supplying blood to the brain. The rupture of this artery led to a severe intracranial hemorrhage, which caused Sarah to go into cardiac arrest on the scene. Emergency personnel responded and CPR was administered on the scene during which time she remained without a pulse or spontaneous breathing. Studies in the University of Utah Hospital Emergency Department indicated that she retained brainstem function. She was placed on life support and a protocol of therapeutic hypothermia was initiated to protect her brain. An angiogram indicated the site of arterial bleeding, and on Wednesday, January 11 the injured artery was successfully repaired.
Burke, 29, was one of the best-known female skiers, a four-time X-Games champion and the first skier to win an ESPY. She was the first woman to land a 720, 900, and 1080 in contests, and, aside from her wins in comps, is lauded for paving the way for women skiers and was instrumental in getting halfpipe included in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
“She was someone who certainly saw her place in the world and what she was doing as a gift,” said Judge, “and something she truly loved doing – and that went all the way through everything she did, whether she was on hill competing, or being involved in coaches and camps and working with young people. Or when she was off doing philanthropic things, like working with charities and giving back.”
Although the status of Burke’s medical insurance has not been released, her bills are said to be in excess of $500,000, and a fund has been set up to assist her family.
Source;- adventure-journal
