The parents of a 5-year-old girl killed in a high-speed ski slope collision have launched the Snow Angel Foundation to push for safer speeds and stronger awareness on crowded mountains across the United States.
Chauncy and Kelli Johnson created the nonprofit after their daughter, Elise, died on Christmas Eve 2010 when a snowboarder traveling an estimated 50 mph crashed into the pair as Kelli helped the child fix her ski on a run in Wyoming.
The impact killed Elise and the snowboarder and left Kelli with a severe traumatic brain injury that required months of rehabilitation to relearn basic skills like speaking and swallowing. Years later, the Johnsons say they are turning their grief into advocacy to prevent similar tragedies on busy slopes.
New Foundation Puts Focus on Speed and Space
The Snow Angel Foundation, formally established in 2023, focuses on preventing ski and snowboard collisions through education and awareness, with a core message that speed control and spacing can save lives, according to People.
The group's widely shared safety slogan, "She was 5. You were doing 50," is now featured in public service announcements at more than three dozen mountains, reminding skiers and riders to slow down around others. Their "Ski and Ride RAD" theme urges people to be ready to stop, stay alert and keep distance from others on the hill.
To reach more families, the Johnsons have partnered with national industry groups, ski patrol organizations and major resort operators.
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Working with the National Ski Areas Association and Craig Hospital, they first developed the "Ride Another Day" campaign in 2016 before expanding it under the Snow Angel Foundation banner to include on-mountain talks, youth clinics and signage focused on collision risks.
Recent partnerships with the National Ski Patrol and resort companies include broader safety messaging, bystander intervention training and outreach to youth and underserved communities, the Hudson Bay Mountain reported.
Growing Safety Push on Crowded Slopes
The foundation's leaders say their work is urgent as ski areas grow more crowded and high-speed equipment becomes more common, while an average of about 40 people still die in skiing and snowboarding incidents in the U.S. each year.
They argue that many crashes, especially those involving high speed near beginners or children, are preventable with clearer rules, a stronger culture around slowing down, and better education for all ability levels.
As part of a growing safety push, Snow Angel Foundation teams now visit resorts around the country to share Elise's story, host safety events, and speak with race clubs, school groups, and ski patrols about responsible riding.
The Johnsons say they hope their daughter's memory will inspire lasting change so that more families "ride another day" instead of facing the kind of loss that reshaped their lives, as per the Snowbound Expo.
