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The son of former Olympic ski star John Smart has died after sustaining injuries during an avalanche in Japan.
Kai Smart, 23, was left in a coma due to the avalanche. John Smart said in a Facebook post that Kai was taken to Vancouver, Canada, for emergency treatment earlier this month before he died on Monday.
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John Smart of Canada skis down the hill at the World Freestyle Skiing Championships in Altenmarkt, Austria in 1993. (Chris Cole/Allsport)
“It is with great sadness that we have to tell you that our kind, brave and beautiful son and brother Kai is no longer with us. We are beyond heartbroken and there are no words to describe the pain we feel at losing him so young,” John Smart wrote on Facebook.
He remembered his son as an adventurer who lived life to the fullest.
“Kai was a warrior, a mountain man, an explorer of the world, a lover of people from all walks of life, an inspiration to so many, an honors student, a passionate skier, surfer, dirt biker, climber, kitesurfer and so much more… He lived life to the fullest every single day, with joy, curiosity, and do more intensity in a short time, and the experience was in a short time. light, and his energy – his enthusiasm for life and for learning – touched all who knew him,” the post continued.
John Smart looks on after missing out on a medal in the men’s moguls at the 1993 World Freestyle Skiing. (Chris Cole/Allsport)
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“He was always seeking the road less traveled, drawn to new places, new ideas and new experiences. When he wasn’t pushing his limits, he was constantly learning, investigating and engaging with the world.”
Smart wrote that Kai’s organs were donated to four people.
The former Olympian competed for Team Canada in freestyle skiing. He participated in the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics.
An Olympic ring flag at the University of Southern California on March 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Kirby Lee/Getty Images)
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He was inducted into the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame in 2003.
