Wallace Carrington Westfeldt

“My name is Wallace Westfeldt. I am grateful and honored to share that name with my nephew Wallace, as is my Uncle Wallace who sends his love and affection to everyone.

My brothers Patrick and Weems and myself have had several conversations with our Dad, who could not be here today. Dad wanted us to express a few things today for him. First of all, there is the sadness, the love, and his pride in his grandson. Dad is 88 years old and watching him trying to absorb this news, and make sense of this tragedy is moving and, at his age, a repetitive experience. Throughout the repetitions one point has consistently been present and he would like to share that today.

For people outside the skiing and snowboarding world the term “out of bounds” means a place you are not suppose to be. Most of us here know, that’s incorrect. “Out of bounds” is back-country terrain that happens to be near a commercial ski area. Folks have been skiing the back-country since before there were commercial ski areas.

To be in the back-country, one needs special skills, experience, and athleticism, all of which Wallace had in abundance. Indeed, Wallace was a professional “out of bounds” snowboarder. On Friday, he was doing his job, doing what he wanted to do, and exactly where he was supposed to be on a day when things didn’t go right. Whether you are naval pilot, ocean sailor, high steel worker, or professional athlete … no matter the training and the skill … sometimes things don’t go right.

Our Dad knows that the group here today understands this. With pride and in honor of his grandson, he requests that those of us in the snow world, when given the opportunity, take the time to politely correct those folks who understandably, misunderstand the term “out of bounds.”

On Friday, Wallace went to work. He took his gear, experience, tremendous skills, an incredible ability to focus, and his joy to the jobsite. The jobsite was Tonar Bowl, exactly where he was supposed to be.”

Please pass this on.

Love,

Wallace