A 19-year-old University of Utah student died Sunday morning at Canyons Resort after she fell from the High Meadow chairlift, according to Canyons Director of Public Relations Steve Pastorino.
Asha Davenport, 19, from Idaho Falls, Idaho was skiing at Canyons on Sunday morning when she suffered a seizure and fell approximately 30 feet from the chair lift, according to a press release from the Summit County Sheriff’s department.
According to Pastorino, ski patrol arrived within one minute of Davenport falling from the lift and began rendering aid. A medical helicopter was called to the scene but Davenport was unable to be resuscitated and was pronounced dead on the scene at 12:30 p.m. It was Canyons’ first fatality of the season.
Davenport was a freshman at the University of Utah and had yet to declare a major, according to Remi Barron, a University of Utah spokesperson. She is described by her friends as a kind and loving person.
“She was very lively and really nice,” said classmate Kelsi Vik. “She was athletic and just always so happy.”
Davenport was a member of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority at the university and, according to Vik, the sorority held a ceremony for her Monday night which was widely attended by friends and family paying their respects.
Pi Beta Phi Chapter President Erica Glende called Davenport a positive person who was liked by everyone in the sorority.
“We had over 300 people attend the ceremony we held for her, so that shows how much of an impact she had on everyone,” Glende said. “We really valued her as a sister and were glad her parents could attend and see how loved she was.”
Glende said a funeral is being held for Davenport on Saturday in Idaho Falls.
Baron expressed condolences for Davenport’s family and the family of student Alecsander Barton, 24, who died in an avalanche on Kessler Peak on Saturday.
“It has been a really hard week for the university but we have made counseling available for all the students and know that both of them will be much missed,” Barron said.
The sheriff’s department added that Davenport’s family has asked for privacy while they grieve for their daughter.
Summit County Detective Sergeant Ron Bridge said the cause of death is still to be determined pending a toxicology report.
