Brett Yeager

[Marco]

I just read on another forum that Brett died while skiing at Rathbuns site in Acapulco.  Does anyone have any information on this tragic event?  I did not know Brett well, but he was in the boat the first time I ever ran the course.  My thoughts go out to his family and friends.

[malibuowner]

Sad day for everyone involved. Gordon sent us an e-mail saying that is in fact true. Going around the six ball some how the handle got wrapped around his neck. Prayers for his family.......

[Horton]

This from Scott G. 

Dear Neighbors,

We just confirmed with Justin Yager, Brett Yager's eldest son, that Brett was involved in a skiing accident in Mexico just hours ago.

Brett was enjoying an afternoon with Gordon Rathbun and fellow coaches.

Justin told me Brett was running 38 off and was coming around 6 ball when somehow the handle or rope wrapped around his neck and this caused his immediate death. Justin and Tyler are with their mother at the Shell Beach house.

Dianna and my sorrow is great at the loss of a fellow skier, neighbor and friend. Our time here on earth is short. May your hearts turn toward the Lord and treat your fellow man with the love of Christ.

Please send your condolances to Justin and Tyler to his Shell Beach home at P.O. Box 3087, Shell Beach, CA 93448. You can also call them to give them the support they need right now. I reached Justin at 805- 773-2644. A kind word goes a long way. They are of course taking this very hard.

 

Brett, I love you man, forever your friend,

Scott Gurnett

[Horton]

From: Brent McNicoll

Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2008 4:03 AM

To: John Horton

Subject: Fwd: Brett Yager's Skiing Accident

 

Begin forwarded message:

From: Gordon Rathbun

Date: May 4, 2008 12:10:58 AM EDT (CA)

To: mcplant@*****

Subject: Brett Yager's Skiing Accident

Reply-To: gordon1149@***

Ski Paradise Acapulco

Newsletter

Our good friend Brett Yager died yesterday May 2nd in Acapulco after a skiing accident.  Brett was a great friend and a well liked skier from Central California and had homes in Pismo Beach and Lake Anna in Arvin, California.  Brett is survived by his two sons Justin and Tyler ages 20 and 16 respectively, his parents Bill and Doris and a sister.

Brett died doing what he loved best: competing in a friendly water ski tournament with his friends. 

A Memorial Service will be held in Pismo Beach, CA on Saturday May 17th.  In lieu of flowers there will be a college fund set up for Tyler Yager.  If you would like to make a contribution please send a check to:  P.O. Box 3087, Pismo Beach, CA 93448.

Details of the Accident

With all three coaches having run 38 off on Thursday it was only natural for Bob Edie, Brettski,  and myself to have a tournament on Friday.  After the guests had all taken a ride, the coaches were going to take their turn.  Brett was the first one off the dock.  He ran smoothly through 35 off and was coming back towards the palapa on his 38 off pass.  This is a big pass for us all.  Brett had told guest Rob Sterne earlier in the day  "All I want to do is ski because it makes me feel so good.  I love it!"  He also said, "I don't care who wins, but I'm not letting go."   Brett proceeded to do his patented body slam on 1,3 and 5 balls and he just held on and somehow managed to make it around 6 ball.  He was traveling extremely fast.  I don't know how he managed to turn his ski, but he did.  We were taking video from the dock and the video shows an unusual fall with slack rope and most likely his head passing through the handle.  When the rope came tight it was all over.  I'm not going to go into other details, but the 14 of us watching were in shock.  Our group gave Brettski 30 minutes of CPR until the ambulance arrived and Brett died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. 

Trust me, you don't ever want to be involved in an accident like this. 

The family has requested a cremation and this procedure will be carried out later today.  I will bring his ashes back to California on May 16th.

http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs028/1101678624224/img/103.jpg?a=1102084683137 

Brett and good friend Ron Winger after Ron ran 6 buoys for the first time.

                 Brett's Loves: His Sons and Coaching 

Brett loved his two sons more than anything else in the world and constantly talked with great affection about Justin and Tyler.

With regards to our friendship, Brettski had been coming to Acapulco for 18 seasons, first as a guest and later as a very good friend and guest coach.

Brett spent two weeks here in March and did a great job coaching.   He often said to me how much he loved helping people ski better.  He got a huge reward from seeing a guest smile and enjoy their progress.  He asked to come back later in the season if I had an opening and we did.  Brettski would coach all day in the boat to put a smile on our guest's faces.

This is a tough loss for all of us who loved Brettski.  We will never forget his competitive intensity, smiling face and playful attitude.

I have received many emails today from friends of Brettski's, expressing their heartfelt sympathy.  Gabriela and I appreciate these.

I have also made and received many phone calls expressing a need for rule changes to make our sport safer.  I don't know if there is anyone who has written more letters than I have in an attempt to get rules changed over the years.  The trouble is letters don't seem to do any good.  Lobbying is what is necessary. 

If we require handles that have a mesh cover then this accident might never happen again.

We also could change the rules so a skier does not need to make it to the wake for a full buoy.

We could just have all skiers ski away at the 55m buoys rather than the exit gates so skiers wouldn't have to risk a dangerous fall.  Settle the contest at the next line length. 

Those making the rules need to want to change the rules for the better so they can feel good about helping our sport become safer.  

I'll leave you with this nice photo taken on Tuesday of Serg, Bob Edie and Brett on the right with his great smile.

http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs028/1101678624224/img/104.jpg?a=1102084683137

                           We love you and we'll miss you Brett.

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[Director Darwin]

-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------

From: "Dawn Goode" 

Subject: WATERSKI ACCIDENT

Date: Sat, 3 May 2008 17:13:08 +0000

 

TO OUR FAMILY AND VERY PERSONAL FRIENDS

OF WATERSKIING:

THERE WAS A HORRIFIC WATERSKI

ACCIDENT AT GORDON RATHBUN'S

SKI PARADISE IN ACAPULCO, MEXICO

YESTERDAY, MAY 2.

IT INVOLVES A MENS 4 SKIER THAT

WE KNOW FROM PISMO BEACH,CALIFORNIA.....

BRETT YAGER.

HE WAS A GUEST COACH AT GORDON'S.

HE WAS SKIING A PASS AT 38 OFF, ROUNDING

6 BALL, IN A "FUN TOURNAMENT" ON THE

LAST DAY OF THE WEEKLONG VACATION.

HE FELL AND HIS HEAD WENT THRU

THE HANDLE AND HE WAS KILLED

INSTANTLY.  IT WAS LIKE A "HANGING"

AND THE DETAILS ARE GORRY.

BASICALLY HIS NECK SNAPPED AND HE WAS

BLUE WHEN THE BOAT RETURNED

TO PICK HIM UP. HE DIED ON THE HOUR

LONG TRIP TO THE HOSPITAL.

THE NEWS IS DISTURBING ON MANY

ACCOUNTS MAINLY:

FIRST AS A FRIEND,  BRETT YAGER.

SECOND AS A SPORT, WATERSKIING.

SORRY TO BE THE BEARER OF SUCH HORRIBLE NEWS.

DAWN AND DAVE

[eleeski]

      We lost a great one.

      Best wishes to his family, the Bakersfield community and all skiers.

      Eric

[rryker]

Yes, we did lose a great one. I had the great pleasure of skiing with Brett last year in Acapulco. Our whole group loved Bretski. You will be missed man. Sending prayers to his family!

[kstateskier]

I had the pleasure of meeting Brett at Ski Test in Bako this past October, what a nice guy.  This is very sad news.