Been thinking about you lots this last week while out sled-skiing with the girls. You are the most selfless, generous, genuinely kind, giving person I have ever met. If only you could see now your legacy and all the lives you've touched and improved. We're all aspiring to be more because of you. Girls skiing is blowing up this year from many angles and aspects. There are so many all female projects in the works, we're all trying to be more than what we are now and strive for the impossible or unreachable which you made us see was actually within reach.
Thank you for everything you have done, and will continue to do through your memory and legacy.
http://xgames.espn.go.com/skiing/article/8853343/a-letter-freeskier-sarah-burke-one-year-anniversary-death
Here's a letter to Sarah by Cody Townsend on ESPN:
[Exactly one year ago, on Jan. 19, 2012, freeskiing pioneer and X
Games champion Sarah Burke died, at the age of 29, from injuries
sustained in a crash in the halfpipe. Her death affected the entire ski
community and far beyond, but really, it was her life that left us with
with the most profound memories. In this letter, pro skier Cody
Townsend, a close friend to Sarah and her husband, Rory Bushfield,
writes a letter to Sarah on the one-year anniversary of her death and
shares our collective sentiments as we all join together again to
#CelebrateSarah.]
Dear Sarah,
It's been a year since we last spoke. A lot has happened since then.
Things that would have made you proud, made you smile, and probably
would have made you blush. You missed a lot. But I'm sure we missed you
more.
First off, we've been trying to take care of Rory the best we can.
But in all honestly, he's pretty good at taking care of himself. I can't
even begin to imagine how pumped you'd be to see him punching double
backflips on roller skis in front of sold-out arenas on the worldwide Nitro Circus tour.
Or to see him pulling into unmakeable barrels in Bali, get rag-dolled
through the reef and come up gasping for air but uncontrollably laughing
at the same time. We are all so happy to hear his infectious cackle
again. More than anything, it was something we all hoped wouldn't
disappear after he lost you. You'd be proud to know he's hanging in
there.
Otherwise some of your close friends did some pretty amazing things.
Last February, your bud Josh Dueck became the first person to do a backflip in a sit-ski.
You'd probably feel embarrassed and make us stop talking about this,
but Duey did it not only with stickers of your name plastered all over
his ski but with you in mind the entire ride. In fact, every single pro
skier became simultaneously sponsored by a red cursive "Sarah" logoed
company. You were skiing with just about everyone this past year.
You'd be proud of all the girls who are skiing so well these days.
There's a 16-year-old German girl named Lisa Zimmerman doing double cork
12s now. The Nine Queen ladies
were boosting higher than kite metaphors. They cranked switch 10s,
Misty 9s and double-grabbed styled out 5s. They're taking the fire you
gave them and lighting up the world with it. The Olympics are fast
approaching and to us, it'll always be known as Sarah's Olympics. And
you made it into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, by the way. For we all know none of us would be where we're at today if it wasn't for your help.
The only thing we're glad you didn't see was us all crying in unison as thousands encircling the X Games halfpipe last January
in Aspen lowered their heads and millions around the world had a
collective moment of silence in your honor. But don't worry, the mood
was a lot less somber when there was a thousand person moment of
thunderous hooting and hollering at a massive celebration
for you last April in Whistler. And after that, we continued your
booty-shaking, fun-loving traditions. We still take those retched
chilled vodka shots you used to love so much just because we still wish
we were partying with you.
Joshua Duplechian/ESPNThousands gathered for a celebration of Sarah's life at X Games Aspen last year.
Your legacy is something you probably wouldn't care about because
from what we remember, you never cared as much about yourself as you
cared for others. But your foundation,
which is backing two of your passions, the Women's Sports Foundation
and St. Jude's Children Hospital, has received support from thousands of
individual donors, your sponsors like Smith making pro models for your
benefit, and even stars like Lil' Wayne, who designed and is selling a
custom Sarah-inspired T-shirt. And that's just on the financial side.
For every single one of us is still moved by you. The person you are,
the athlete you were, and the better people we are because of you. For
that, we will never forget you.
Sincerely,
Skiers Everywhere
