A veteran skier has tragically passed away after suddenly collapsing in the wilderness. 45-year-old Bernie Rosow, who worked for Mammoth Mountain, died suddenly while skiing in the Sierra Nevada.
It appears the veteran skier had a heart attack.
The incident, according to The San Francisco Chronicle, happened on April 23. Rosow had been at the Bloody Mountain when he collapsed with his group. The veteran skier went into emergency distress.
"Everything was normal, just a typical day," photographer Christian Pondella told SFGate. "Just out of the blue, he said, 'My back hurts, it hurts between my shoulders.'"
"It happened so quick," he continued. "Two minutes before that he was having normal conversations."
Veteran Skier Dies Suddenly
The veteran skier then sat down and stopped responding. His friends called for help and spent hours performing CPR. But there was nothing else they could do to save him.
"Despite the strong and extensive efforts of all involved — especially his group's initial efforts prior to [rescuers'] arrival — we are saddened to report that he was ultimately pronounced deceased," the sheriff's office said, per the outlet.
Following his passing, Rosow's partner Amber shared an emotional tribute to the veteran skier. He was the father of an 8-year-old named Alex.
"We lost Bernie yesterday," Amber wrote on Instagram. "Alexander's favorite person in the whole world, and my love. He was out doing what he loves to do hiking with friends up Bloody Mountain to ski down."
"We presume a heart health incident and passed quickly," she continued. "When Bernie and I first met in 2011 he told me he was hiking up Bloody Mountain and yesterday it was still one of his favorites. Last weekend he told Alex the mountain got its name because of its red rocks. Bernie we will always live in your spirit. This has always been Alex's favorite photo of us. We love you so much."
