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FOX 32 NEWS - A New Year’s trip to a Thompsonville, Michigan ski resort ended in tragedy.
Delaney O'Connell, 10, from west suburban LaGrange died in a skiing accident earlier this week at Crystal Mountain Ski Resort.
Now, big purple ribbons are tied to trees and fence posts throughout the suburban town.
“It shows a lot about the community and how we can support everyone,” said resident Kayle Landberg.
Officials say O'Connell was taking an intermediate lesson at the Thompsonville, Michigan ski resort - where she and her family were frequent visitors.
“This is a family who has been coming here for many years, has relationships with a lot of people here at the resort and hearts are very heavy, and we are certainly hurting for the family,” said resort spokesperson Brian Lawson.
He said the little girl, who was wearing helmet, was with 2 other classmates on a slope that was below their skill level. O'Connell went ahead of the class and somehow lost control and ran into a tree. She was rushed to a hospital where she died.
Shane Harris went to school with O'Connell and described her as a nice girl who was calm under pressure.
“We were pretty good friends, we talked together in class, we worked together on projects a lot,” said Harris. “She was a great artist and so everybody probably is going to miss that and she was a great worker.”
Crystal Mountain said it will be reexamining the training programs. They told FOX 32 that O'Connell is the youngest skier to ever pass away at the resort.