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Show Wed/Thurs/Fri, February 5-7, 2020 B-7 The Park Record Shiffrin’s father passes unexpectedly Jeff Shiffrin was ‘friend’ to U.S. Ski and Snowboard JOHN LACONTE Vail Daily VAIL, Colo. – Olympic champion and Eagle County local Mikaela Shiffrin broke the news Monday morning that her father, Jeff Shiffrin, has died. The Eagle County coroner has confirmed that Shiffrin, 65, died of a head injury, and the cause of death is an accident. The Shiffrins live in Edwards. Jeff Shiffrin, with his wife, Eileen, made the Vail area their home decades ago, and together raised Mikaela and Taylor Shiffrin, who was a member of the two-time NCAA Champion University of Denver Ski Team. In a string of tweets posted to Twitter, Mikaela Shiffrin wrote: “My family is heartbroken beyond comprehension about the unexpected passing of my kindhearted, loving, caring, patient, wonderful father. Our mountains, our ocean, our sunrise, our heart, our soul, our everything. He taught us so many valuable lessons … but above everything else, he taught us the golden rule: be nice, think first. This is something I will carry with me forever. He was the firm foundation of our family and we miss him terribly … Thank you, from the depths of my heart, for respecting my family’s privacy as we grieve during this unimaginable and devastating time.” ASPEN TIMES FILE PHOTO Mikaela Shiffrin accepts the World Cup overall trophy in March 2017 flanked by her parents, Eileen and Jeff, in Aspen, Colorado. Friend of the team In a news release, U.S. Ski & Snowboard CEO Tiger Shaw said Jeff Shiffrin was a good friend who will be terribly missed. “Our — and the entire ski world’s — thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this incredibly difficult time,” Shaw said. Tom Kelly, who has spent more than 30 years with the U.S. Ski Team as a press liaison, described Jeff Shiffrin as a wonderful person. “So sad for the loss to the Shiffrin family and our entire skiing community,” Kelly wrote. Jeff Shiffrin was an anesthesiologist with Vail Health and Anesthesia Partners of Colorado, treating and helping many injured skiers and riders. He was raised in Dover, New Jersey, where he learned to ski as a youth. A 2014 Sports Illustrated profile of Mikaela said during his childhood, Jeff spent week- ends skiing with his family at Stratton or Sugarbush in southern Vermont. “At 13 he joined the race team at what was then called Great Gorge Ski Resort (now Mountain Creek) in northwestern New Jersey, and on his first day of training he was greeted by an Austrian coach whose only instruction before pushing off the top of the hill was, ‘Follow me,’” the article states. “It was a teaching tactic that Jeff would remember. He later raced on the ski team at Dartmouth and stayed active in the sport after taking up anesthesiology.” Avid photographer Jeff Shiffrin is remembered by journalists and the U.S. Ski Team as an avid photographer, often having traveled to Mikaela’s World Cup races photographing her and other U.S. Ski Team athletes. During Mikaela’s rise to the top of the sport, Jeff often shared his photos of Mikaela with the Vail Daily and other media outlets covering her success. “I always admired how he’d hike the mountain to shoot the race with all the other photogs,” wrote longtime ski sportscaster Steve Porino. In a post shared Monday, U.S Ski & Snowboard wrote that Jeff was “rarely in a team picture on the podium because he was always behind the camera capturing the moment.” And while he was often on the sidelines during her races, he was not known as a parent who coaches had to worry about getting in the way. “Basically, this is a job for her, and I try not to interfere,” Jeff Shiffrin told the Vail Daily from Russia, in 2014, during Mikaela’s first Olympic appearance. “If she were to come visit me at work, I wouldn’t change my routine just because she was there.” NBC Sports writer Tim Layden described Jeff as the perfect superstar athlete dad. “He taught and guided, shared and loved and when the lights got bright, he stepped aside,” Layden wrote. Mikaela was quick to wish her father happy Father’s Day or happy birthday — he would have turned 66 in March — and she also enjoyed recognizing him when he went out of his way to do something special for her. In 2016, Mikaela used the “lovemydad” hashtag in a tweet about Jeff bringing a memory foam mattress pad to Europe so she could sleep more comfortably. “Now I am laying on a cloud,” she wrote. Mikaela and Eileen returned from Europe on Sunday afternoon, and Jeff was surrounded by family and close friends during his final hours. Some of the petS at NuzzleS & Co. lookiNg for love These animals are available to be seen at the Nuzzles & Co. Adoption Center and Rescue Ranch. Our Adoption Center is open Monday through Friday from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is located in the Outlets Park City in Kimball Junction. Our Rescue Ranch is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed Sunday. The Rescue Ranch is located at 6466 N. Highview Road in Peoa. Bella Haze Jackee Swan Bella is a 2 year old black lab/ cattle dog mix. She is learning her leash manners, loves to play in the snow and enjoys finding treats in her “snuffle mat”. She would love an active household or a nice fenced in backyard to play in! Come meet her today! Haze is just 9 weeks old. She is a blue heeler/cattle dog mix. Her breed is very intelligent and active. If you are looking for the perfect hiking pal and have the time to give her mental stimulation as she grows up, she would be the perfect match! Jackee is a 3 month old cattle dog mix. She is full of personality and loves to play with other puppies. She would love an active family to take her on adventures with them. She will probably grow up to be a medium to large doggo. This cute girl is Swan! She is a 6 month old Great Pyrenees mix. She is great with other dogs, with a proper introduction. Our trainer is requiring for her to attend Puppy classes (free with adoption) to set her up to be the best she can be. Jerome Mongoose Osaka Kyoto Jerome is a funny guy! He is 6 months old and just full of personality. He en-joys playing and will also let you cuddle him. If you are looking for someone to brighten up your day he will definitely put a smile on your face. Meet Mongoose! She is a super sweet 8 month old kitten. She is super sweet and would make a great addition to any family. Come by and meet her at our Adoption Center! Osaka, Kyoto’s kitten is just 6 months old and loves to play. She is a little shy, but a little love and socializing would truly help her to be the best kitty ever! Come by and meet her today! This is Kyoto. She is a small, quiet tortie who loves to cuddle and be held. She came to us with her kitten and is the sweetest momma. Due to a previous inju-ry she is missing part of her back leg, but she can still get around quite well. WaNted: voluNteerS These Organizations are looking for volunteers. If you would like to include your group in this section, please email information to copyeditor@parkrecord.com. Please limit your entry to no more than 75 words PCSD Good Neighbors Program Park City School District needs volunteers to help adult English language learners or adults with limited literacy develop skills and confidence to live and thrive in our community. Tutor conversational English, English grammar, reading and/or writing. Morning, afternoon, evening and weekend sessions are available and the time commitment is approximately 3-4 hours per week. For more information contact Judy Tukuafu at 435-615-0216 or jtukuafu@pcschools.us. volunteer opportunities (ages 17 and older) daily in vital sign intake, phlebotomy and Spanish/English interpretation. Fill out an online inquiry at www.peopleshealthclinic.org or contact Meg in our development office at 435-333-1863 Peace House Peace House is seeking volunteers to assist in their efforts to end the cycle of violence and domestic abuse within Summit and Wasatch Counties. Volunteers are currently needed for special events, fundraising, marketing, administration, English to Spanish translation, childcare, mentorship and more. Come join our team of caring individuals and help us create more peace through healthy human relationships. Call Volunteer Coordinator Jill Smith at 435-776-6036 or email Jill@peacehouse.org for more information on how you can become involved. Visit our website www.Peacehouse.org to learn more about the exciting things we are doing. Recycle Utah Recycle Utah, the primary recycling hub in Summit County for the last 25 years, is seeking volunteers. Get fresh air, burn calories, and make your community cleaner and greener. Help is needed in the front office, the warehouse, and assisting with daily operations. Recycle Utah also relies on volunteers at special events like Harvest Fest and collection events. For more information, contact Haley Lebsack at outreach@recycleutah.org or 435-6499698. Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District Basin Recreation is looking for volunteers with a passion for play to be Park Ambassadors. Park Ambassadors patrol the parks, interact with park users, report maintenance needs, assist with tournaments, promote park safety, and encourage an overall positive use of public space. For more details visit www.basinrecreation. org or contact Angie Greenburg at 435-640-8476 or email at agreenburg@basinrecreation.org. People’s Health Clinic People’s Health Clinic is looking for volunteers who want to make a difference. We are open Monday through Friday and have For a full list of volunteer opportunities, visit parkrecord.com/ volunteers #1 Title Company 2018 Th e Park Record. 2019 Committed To NARI TROTTER STEFANIE BOWEN (435) 649-8322 theteam@parkcitytitle.com 1670 Bonanza Drive • Park Record Building |