Until I became a mom, I had a fairly adventurous spirit. I didn’t see danger lurking around every corner and didn’t really think through all of the “what-ifs.” And now, I can see things happening from a mile away. This has its benefits and drawbacks. Overall, I am much more aware of my surroundings, impacts, and potential outcomes. These days, I tend to play it all far more safe and likely miss out on some incredible opportunities because of the fear. The only way I can combat that is to individually assess the risk of a situation, and do everything I can to improve the outcome.
There are some things, however, that just can’t be accounted for, no matter how much you plan and prepare. One young 22-year-old woman’s tragic ski lift story proves just that.
People reported that Brooke Day, an Australian from Queensland, was on vacation and boarded the ski lift at Tsugaike Mountain Resort in central Japan when things went sideways. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) says officials claimed Day was the victim of a freak accident when her backpack got caught in the lift and dragged her up.
“Staff subsequently pressed the stop button to halt the lift,” resort chief executive Tsuneo Kubo said in a statement. “Prompt rescue efforts were undertaken, and the customer was transported by ambulance.”
The woman reportedly suffered cardiac arrest and died later at the hospital. Tsugaike Gondola Lift Co. also told 7News Australia the accident happened due to a “buckle at the end of an unfastened waist belt attached to a backpack carried by a customer [and] became caught in the lift carriage.”
Kubo pledged that the company would cooperate with police during the investigation and offered their condolences to the family.
Day was an avid rugby player who was remembered fondly by the Nambour Toads Rugby Union Club in a commemorative post.
“On the field, Brooke played with courage, determination, and she continued to grow and improve with every game that she played. Off the field, her smile, kindness, and fun-loving spirit lit up our club, and she was never one to shy away from our off-field festivities,” they wrote.
Day’s family also told People, “We would like to thank her friends who rendered assistance in her time of need, and stayed with her until we arrived in Japan, as well as the staff at the Omachi General Hospital who did everything in their power to save her.”
A GoFundMe has been set up for Day’s family to help cover funeral expenses. The page so far has raised more than $5,000 in donations with a goal of $10,000.
