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SOLITUDE SKI RESORT — The body of a skier who went missing at Solitude Mountain Resort on Monday was found Tuesday by search crews.
Unified police confirmed the body of Devon O'Connell, 37, of Cottonwood Heights, was found around 8:15 a.m. in a thick wooded area near the bottom of the Sensation ski run. An autopsy will determine his cause of death. Unified Police Sgt. Melody Cutler said investigators are looking at the possibility that O'Connell hit a tree.
O'Connell is survived by his wife and a 5-year-old daughter. A GoFundMe* account has been set up by friends to help the family.
"We are shocked and devastated to lose Devon, a husband, father, brother, son and friend so full of love and adventure. He is gone from us far, far too soon," friends wrote on the webpage.
O'Connell went skiing at Solitude on Monday with a friend. The friend left at 10:30 a.m. and O'Connell was going to take one more run before going home, Cutler said. He is recorded getting on the Sunrise ski lift just after noon. O'Connell was supposed to be home by 2 p.m. His wife called Solitude Ski Patrol at 6:30 p.m. to report him overdue.
Cutler said O'Connell is an advanced skier and was wearing a helmet while skiing Monday.
Search and rescue crews with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office, along with members of Wasatch Backcountry rescue, searched the area until 1:30 in the morning Tuesday before suspending the operation until daylight. Unified police say the search resumed at 7 a.m. that day.
O'Connell's car was found in the resort parking lot prior to when his body was found. Drones were used to assist in the search, but Cutler said the skier was found at the base of a tree and in an area that was hard to see from the ski lift.
As word of his death spread, friends posted memories and tributes on social media.
"Devon was my guy. He was everyone's guy, really," one man posted. "I'm still reeling from the devastating news we all received on Monday … news that we will never again get to hear his laugh or see his smile or be the recipient of his kind words and compliments. Yet, through this emotional roller coaster I'm currently experiencing, I keep feeling waves of gratitude that I was lucky enough to call him my bud for the past few years."
Another man posted that he is a cousin to O'Connell and wrote, "Our tears will flow for days, weeks and years. We will cherish our loved ones a little more tonight and pray to God to take the pain away. In the end, the pain is what keeps you alive in us, it will turn to laughter and tears of memories of things we did as children. It will, as they say, take time. For now, tears of pain is all we have. With all the love we have in our souls, please know how loved you were and how much we will miss you here. Love always, your family."
*Disclaimer: KSL.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does KSL.com assure that money deposited will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit or donation you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
