Individuals who knew him claim that he was snowboarding at the time, although officials have not corroborated this.
We now know that Whalen was a powerful advocate and interpreter for the deaf community. Whalen reportedly assisted members of that community with things like job applications, according to friends of his.
He passed away on Thursday, and the U.S. Deaf Ski and Snowboard Association, a large number of his friends, and members of the deaf community posted about it on Facebook.
Tom Fortune, COO of Heavenly, issued a statement saying, “”Heavenly Mountain Resort, Heavenly Ski Patrol, and the entire Vail Resorts family extend our deepest sympathy and support to our guest’s family and friends.”
Recent weeks have seen heavy snowfall in South Lake Tahoe. On Wednesday, Heavenly reported that they had accumulated 24 inches of snow in just 24 hours. Those who had just returned to San Francisco from the Sierra told us that it had been very active there.
“There’s too many people up in Tahoe now. Now it’s like you can’t even snowboard anymore, it’s like you’re dodging people and it’s insane,” said snowboarder Lawrence Huinh.
“We have to be aware of the new conditions and be prepared for the changing conditions,” said skier Antonio Carpo.
Whalen died under mysterious circumstances, however it appears there are several trees close to the roundabout where this “major tragedy” occurred.
The cause of death is now unknown, according to the coroner’s officer, although an autopsy was finished on Thursday.
