Teenager dies after crash on N.H. mountain
15-year-old identified as East Boston student; cause of accident under investigation
A teenager from East Boston died Saturday night after a skiing accident at the Pats Peak Ski Area in Henniker, N.H.
Family identified the boy as Christopher DiPrima, 15, a student at Excel Academy East Boston, a charter high school.
Steven Gingras, DiPrima’s 27-yearold cousin, said DiPrima was heading down Pats Peak’s Duster ski trail — an intermediate route running from the summit to about halfway down the mountain — when he hit a bump, went airborne, and skidded down the slope.
Gingras, who said he was skiing nearby when the accident happened but did not witness it, said DiPrima had successfully skied the trail a few times before.
“It wasn’t like he went on one that was over his head,” Gingras said.
DiPrima was at Pats Peak with his sister, his mother, his father, and Gingras.
The family had gone up to the mountain a handful of times before, Gingras said.
Gingras said DiPrima started learning to ski last year and quickly developed a passion for the sport.
“It’s probably the sport he was starting to really get into most,” Gringas said. “He was pretty good at it, which makes it even more shocking.”
Lori Rowell, a spokesperson for Pats Peak, wrote in an e-mail that the accident occurred around 6:35 p.m. Shortly afterward, the Pats Peak ski patrol arrived at the scene and transported the boy to the base. The Henniker Rescue Squad rushed him to Concord Hospital, where he died from his injuries, Rowell said.
DiPrima’s family followed the ambulance to the hospital, Gingras said. He said by the time they arrived, doctors informed them that the boy had not survived.
Gingras said the family does not yet know all the medical details of the
‘He was the nicest kid possible, polite, intellectually curious . ... He could be anything.’ JOE DIPRIMA
Christopher DiPrima’s uncle and godfather
teenager’s death.
Gingras said DiPrima loved his family, especially his younger sister, and although the sophomore was not yet considering colleges seriously, Gingras described him as “academically gifted.” He went out with friends, played video games, and recently started playing chess, according to Gingras.
“He was always kind, he had a good smile, good laugh,” Gingras said. “I don’t know anyone who didn’t like him.”
Owen Stearns, chief executive of Excel Academy Charter Schools, said the school community was “devastated by the tragic loss.”
“Christopher was a wonderful, vibrant, kind, and caring young man who brought so much joy to those around him,” Stearns wrote in an e-mail Sunday night.
“We know he particularly loved spending time with his family, especially his little sister, who is also an Excel student. Christopher was a vital member of our school community, and we grieve with his family and all who loved him.”
Counselors will be available to students at all Excel campuses on Monday, Stearns said.
Kris Blomback, general manager of Pats Peak, said in a statement an investigation into what happened is ongoing.
“Our sympathies go out to his family during this difficult time, and the staff of Pats Peak is greatly saddened by this incident last night,” he said.
Jim Morse, the Henniker fire chief, could not be reached for comment Sunday afternoon. On a phone call, the fire dispatcher said Morse would likely not be able to provide details on the accident until Monday.
The ski resort, which opened in 1963, features 28 trails and 11 lifts. All trails and lifts were open Sunday afternoon, according to the Pats Peak website.
The ski area’s phone operator said Sunday was its last operating day of the season.
The boy’s death comes less than a week after a 67-year-old skier from Shrewsbury died after colliding with a tree on Wachusett Mountain, a Massachusetts ski resort in Worcester County. In January, a University of New Hampshire student was killed in a skiing accident at Cannon Mountain in Franconia, N.H., less than a week after a 15year-old girl died from injuries in a skiing accident at Gunstock Mountain in Gilford, N.H.
Joe DiPrima, Christopher DiPrima’s uncle and godfather, said he had a close bond with his nephew, who he described as the family’s “electronics wizard.” They spent time together last Thursday, with DiPrima helping his uncle buy a couple of new televisions for his home in East Boston. After picking out the televisions at Best Buy in Everett, they drove to Medford and had burgers at Five Guys.
“He was the nicest kid possible, polite, intellectually curious,” Joe DiPrima, 63, said in a phone interview Sunday night. “I always thought, this kid doesn’t have to work his whole life like I did. He could be anything. Just a smart, talented, and serious kid.”
Their day together was the last time Joe DiPrima saw his nephew. “The fact I’ll never see him again, that’s where it digs deep,” he said.
Gingras said DiPrima’s mother was from Colombia, and the family spent many school breaks visiting their grandparents in Bogota.
He said DiPrima was in the process of redecorating his bedroom for the first time since he was little kid.
The 15-year-old had picked out a paint color — a midnight blue with white trim, “which his mother thought was too dark, but it actually came out nice,” Gingras said. He was still picking out posters and lighting for the new space.
“It’s tough to think about where he might have went, if this hadn’t happened,” Gingras said. “All of the things that he’s been missing out on. We’ve been trying to reflect on all the good experiences.”