Memorial scholarship fund established for accident victim

 

 

The Ryan Moore Memorial Scholarship Fund was established this week in memory of Ryan Donald Moore, 19, who was killed Nov 28 after a 30-foot fall from a chairlift at Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake Tahoe.

Contributions for the fund, established for the benefit of students in the Santa Ynez Valley, can be made at Rabobank, 3600 Sagunto, St., Santa Ynez.

 

“It’s what Ryan would have wanted,” insisted his mother, Denise Moore, a resident of Santa Ynez since 1992. “Ryan always wanted the best for everyone. It will keep his memory alive here in the valley.”

A 2006 graduate from Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, Ryan had completed the Emergency Training Course at Santa Barbara City College and was looking forward to firefighter training.

 

He spent six months at the beginning of 2007 at Lake Tahoe living with friends George McKenzie and Cory McComb while pursuing his love of snowboarding. He worked at Lakeside Inn & Casino while living in South Lake Tahoe.

During the summer he worked at Vineyard House in Santa Ynez. When his friends returned to Lake Tahoe for the winter, he decided to join them again, but spent the Thanksgiving holiday with his family at Lake Havasu in Arizona.

“We have years of great memories, right up to the end,” his mother noted. “He was always looking for fun and always smiling. We have hundreds of photos of him and he’s smiling and having a good time in all of them.”

 

The family organized a celebration of life in Ryan’s honor Dec. 3 at Lake Cachuma at the Pawnee Plateau. His mother said more than 300 persons attended, including family and friends from San Diego, Arizona and Colorado. Dr. Kenneth Nash, provided the eulogy and Dr. Adam Haws and Bill Agin provided the music.

Denise has been a dental hygienist for Dr. Nash at his Solvang office for the past 14 years. Her husband, Dan Moore, is affiliated with Buellflat Rock, Solvang.

 

“Ryan was very outgoing, very personable,” Dan said. “He was a joy to be around.” He added that his son loved snowboarding, wakeboarding and Frisbee golf.

“Ryan loved most sports,” his mother added, “anything to do with snow, water and golf.” He also participated in motorcycle and mountain biking events.

While attending high school he was a member of the school’s junior varsity golf team. “He always called me ‘coach,’” said Ken Fredrickson, his golf coach in 2004. “Even when he was a senior, and not on the team, he would check in regularly. He was one of my favorite kids.”

 

After news of Ryan’s accident, his friends came to the Moore residence to talk about him and remember old times. “These kids are all my friends,” Denise insisted. “It’s what keeps me going — just knowing they will continue to be part of my life. I love them all and I always will.” Ryan’s father added that the family would like to thank friends, family and those in the area who brought food and flowers to their home and shared their special experiences about Ryan.

 

“It means a lot to us to know he has been loved by so many,” Dan said.

Ryan’s friends decorated the door to his room this week with personal notes and mementos.

Preliminary autopsy results released Nov 29 show that Ryan died from blunt-force impact to his skull. During the fall he hit his head hard enough to cause massive trauma, according to Lt. Les Lovell of the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.

 

The accident occurred when Ryan leaned forward to ease a leg cramp and fell onto terrain that was not covered with snow. He was not wearing a helmet and the restraining bar on the chairlift was not engaged, said Russ Pecoraro, an official with Heavenly Mountain Resort.

“By all appearances, this was an accident,” said Lovell. “There was no indication of foul play and it appears to be an accident caused by a loss of balance.”

Toxicology reports are expected in four to six weeks. Lovell was not sure if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the fall.