Second Victim Of Taos Avalanche Attended Colorado Mountain College
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP/CBS4) — A second person died from injuries sustained in an avalanche last week at Taos ski resort in New Mexico, relatives and a hospital official said Monday. The deceased skier was identified by family as 22-year-old Corey Borg of Vail who had moved to Colorado from Minnesota to attend Colorado Mountain College.
Borg, whose full name was Corey Borg-Massanari, also worked for outdoor equipment company Patagonia and as a zipline tour guide in the summer.
He was one of two people pulled from the snow after the avalanche Thursday at Taos Ski Valley. He died Monday at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, where he had been transported after the avalanche and treated for unspecified injuries, according to spokeswoman Alex Sanchez.
The other victim, identified as 26-year-old Matthew Zonghetti of Massachusetts, was pronounced dead shortly after the avalanche.
The avalanche struck a stretch of expert skiing terrain on the upper mountain known as the K3 chute. The resort planned an investigation to determine what triggered the avalanche. Taos Ski Resort personnel have said the avalanche within ski-area boundaries took place despite a series of precautions earlier the day that included the detonation of explosives to trigger any potential snow-slides before skiers could take to the slopes.
The following is the complete statement from Borg's family:
The family of Corey Borg-Massanari, 22, who was involved in the Taos Ski Valley avalanche on January 17, 2019, would like to share that Corey has passed away at UNM Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Corey brought joy to many and will continue to bring joy to others through his life-saving gift of organ donation.
Corey was born in Pueblo, Colorado and was raised in Brainerd, Minnesota where he graduated high school in 2015. He moved to Vail, Colorado where he attended Colorado Mountain College. While attending college he worked at Patagonia in Vail Village where he would often go skiing on his lunch break. During the summer months Corey was a zip-line tour-guide at Zip Adventures at 4 Eagle Ranch.
Corey was known for his smile, his quirky sense of humor and his unique sense of style. He loved spending time with family and friends, and especially his fuzzy dog, Abu. Corey was an experienced and avid skier and loved the outdoors. He enjoyed camping, fishing, zip-lining, snowmobiling, dirt biking and so much more. He liked working on his Jeep with his dad and learned the love of cooking from his mom.
Corey's family would like to thank the Taos Ski Area staff, skiers and volunteers who assisted in the search for their son, and the care given by EMS and helicopter staff.
Finally, Corey's family would like to extend their sincere appreciation to UNM Hospital's Trauma ICU staff and New Mexico Donor Services staff who cried and laughed beside them as they shared stories of Corey's life.
If you would like to help, a GoFundMe account has been set up under Corey Borg. Corey signed up to be an organ donor and his family wishes to encourage everyone to register in honor of Corey at BeTheGiftToday.com.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
