Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke has died.
Burke, 29, was seriously injured Jan. 10 in a training accident at the superpipe in Park City, Utah, she never regained consciousness after surgery.
Doctors said that Burke suffered a cardiac arrest during her accident. Doctors also said that Burkesuffered a ruptured vertebral artery which led to intercranial bleeding.
Later tests showed that Burke had "sustained severe irreversible damage to her brain due to lack of oxygen and blood after cardiac arrest,” a statement from the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association said.
"The family expresses their heartfelt gratitude for the international outpouring of support they have received from all the people Sarah touched," Burke's family said in a statement. Her organs will be donated to save the lives of others according to her wishes, the statement added.
Condolences have flooded her Facebook page. On Twitter messages of support have been posted using the #believeinsarah tag.
"Female athletes everywhere owe a debt of gratitude to Sarah’s passionate trailblazing efforts over the last 15 years. As the first competitive female freeskier, she successfully lobbied the Winter X Games to include women in freeskiing events on equal standing. It is because of Sarah’s efforts that female winter athletes are some of the only athletes in the world to receive equal prize purses to that of men," her agent wrote on a memorial page.
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