A 20-year-old woman is fighting for her life after suffering a brain injury during a snowboarding accident at Arizona Snowbowl on Saturday.
The victim's mother told ABC15 that her daughter, Isabella Siniscalchi, fell off a catwalk that connects the chairlift to the slope feet and landed on her head. Izzy, as her family calls her, is now sedated as a surgical team at Flagstaff Medical Center tries to save her life.
The family is now urging anyone on the slopes to wear a helmet.
Arizona Snowbowl tells ABC15 they follow industry-standard practices regarding hazard markings and trail closures, and continuously evaluate terrain safety. They encourage everyone to wear a helmet and the park is also hosting safety courses throughout the 2024-2025 season.
Head injuries are common with snow sports, according to the Brain Injury Association of Arizona. They say that while helmets may not protect in all high-speed situations, they are still the best defense.
ABC15's Jane Caffrey talked with Izzy's family as they hope for her recovery and looked into more safety statistics involving skiers and snowboarders. Watch the full story in the video player above.
