Ski Area Apologizes In Ad For Statements About Man's Death
David W. Pettigrew, 29, of Issaquah, died Dec. 7 in a snowboarding accident at Alpental, one of the ski areas operated by the resort.
Pettigrew did not act irresponsibly or recklessly before the accident, The Summit said in the ad.
Statements from ski-area officials at the time "led the news media to the mistaken conclusion that David was responsible for his own death by skiing alone in a roped-off area," the ad said.
It corrects the record and apologizes to Pettigrew's family and friends, who "suffered both the tragedy of his death, and the pain of having his memory tarnished," Dan Brewster, the ski area's general manager, stated in the ad.
"David was not breaking the rules," Brewster stated. "We later learned all the details, but unfortunately we weren't pro-active. We didn't go back and try to get the details out that would clear David's reputation ... We are very sorry, and we want to get the record straight about what happened that day."
According to the ad, Pettigrew was invited to join friends from the Alpental Ski Patrol on a "sweep" to check for anyone remaining on the slopes as skiing came to an end at Alpental on Dec. 7.
In an area called "Shot 6," he separated from the ski-patrol members. That's when the accident occurred, according to the ad.
"David was there at the invitation of the ski patrollers," the ad stated. "The area was not closed to David, and he was not 'out of bounds."'
Guy Lawrence, a spokesman for The Summit at Snoqualmie, said the advertisements were not part of any litigation.
"This was just a family and a ski resort setting the record straight," Lawrence said. he would not comment on whether the Pettigrew family received any other compensation from the ski area.
Edward Pettigrew, David's father, also would not discuss the family's dealings with the ski area but did read from a prepared statement: "The Pettigrew family greatly appreciates the acknowledgment by Snoqualmie Summit of the true facts surrounding the accidental death on Dec. 7, 2005, of their son, brother and uncle, David Pettigrew."
Included in the ad is a picture of David Pettigrew crouched in the Skykomish River, smiling as he displays a large fish.
