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Hey, Spike! writes of the positive and tragic life changes

We’ve been hit with an onslaught of news about friends — good and tragic.

In some fantastic positive news, Dave Repsher walked, on his own power, out from the Denver hospital where he’d been for 13 months.

A flight paramedic and Copper Mountain ski patroller, Dave was critically injured July 3, 2015, when a Flight For Life helicopter crashed at Frisco’s St. Anthony Hospital landing pad and burst into flames. The crash took the life of pilot Patrick Mahany and injured team member Matt Bowe.



Amazingly, Matt returned to work four months later.

As for Dave, known as “D-Rep,” coming back from massive burns, his recovery is nothing short of miraculous. He’s a man of character and this just proves it.



Copper Mountain Ski Patrol will host the “D-Rep Charity Golf Tournament” on Sept. 15. Funds raised will be used to offset medical and living expenses incurred by Repsher and his family: wife Amanda, mother Marilyn Repsher and brother Jim.

Copper Creek Golf Course and Copper Mountain are donating all course fees for the day. The Denver Fire Fighters Burn Foundation will serve as co-sponsor. Tournament entry is $100 per player, and hole sponsorship is $200.

A silent auction will also be held.

For registration and donations, go to DenverBurnFoundation.org.

For more info contact Lisa Whitaker at lisawhitaker@msn.com, or Mark Rogers at mhrogers483@gmail.com

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In stark contrast to the good news of Dave’s positive struggle is the horrific story of the passing of 17-year-old Quincy Brave Conway, down in Rio en Medio, near Santa Fe.

Quincy was the eldest son of Miles Dylan Conway and Mikahla Beutler. Miles is a 1989 Summit High grad and the son of Phyllis Martinez and Jim Conway. His brother is Tilman Badger Conway.

Quincy’s step-grandfather is Gary Martinez, who just retired as the Summit County manager. His maternal grandparents are Chris and Judy Beutler of Lincoln, Nebraska, where Chris is a three-term mayor.

Quincy, a runner and rock climber of note, was about to enter his senior year at Santa Fe Preparatory School.

In the New Mexican newspaper obituary, Quincy’s story was told:

“The teen, who had spent the summer interning at Los Alamos National Laboratory and visiting colleges, had planned to spend the weekend camping with friends.

“But sometime Thursday, he turned to work on a device for experimenting with electricity, his father said. He was found dead at the home, apparently having suffered fatal injuries when the electrical experiment went wrong.

“A student at Santa Fe Prep since the seventh grade, Quincy Conway was always tinkering, said head of school Jim Leonard.

“‘He was kind of quiet, steadfast, a very loyal friend,” Leonard added. “There was a quiet competence about him. He was a pretty special young man.’”

Spike! had interviewed Miles Dylan Conway back 2013. Here’s that link:

https://www.summitdaily.com/news/6917153-113/conway-public-spike-summit

Miles F. Porter IV, nicknamed “Spike,” a Coloradan since 1949, is an Army veteran, former hardrock miner, graduate of Adams State College, and a local since 1982. An award-winning investigative reporter, he and wife Mary E. Staby owned newspapers here for 20 years. Email your social info to milesfporteriv@aol.com


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