A Tribute to Kyle

I only met Kyle in the flesh in 2022 on a late October weekend in Tux, Austria. He’d come to the Hintertux glacier to test a new generation of freestyle skis along with two other Fischer athletes. I got to know him a little better as we shared meals back in the hotel restaurant between test runs and liked him straight away. He just had this relaxed and cool air about him. On his last day in Tux he told me he’d crashed his drone while shooting content. He’d forgotten about the video feed lag and had flown it straight into a waterfall. He’d managed to retrieve it later that day and hoped it would still work. I had to add that little detail to the ski design, a sort of Easter egg for the very few who knew the story. Another one is Wrigley, a friend’s dog that would frequently come skiing and hiking with them. In the videos posted on Instagram you can see their strong bond. I still tear up every time I think of poor Wrigley waiting for his next run with Kyle. The rest of the drawings is more straight forward, I guess, like his radiant smile or his favorite foods or places, the sports he enjoyed, or barrelling down local bike trails with Jenna, the love of his life. When I heard of him passing away it hit me hard. Even not knowing Kyle well his death resonated with me, it felt like I had lost a dear friend and I felt compelled to make a design that would reflect his vibrant energy. It was a privilege to know this beautiful soul.