What BettyDee meant to us – from her fiancé and best friend (me) Davide De Masi

[powdherb]

It feels so good to see all the love on the boards. I needed to share this with you guys. It's been a struggle getting words out. Thank you guys for your support.


Dear Friends, please share this brief text describing how important to Liz was to us all from my perspective. Thank you so much.
To capture the essence of Liz Daley, the first thing that comes to mind for many of us is her incredibly brilliant and heart-warming smile. Out of all the beautiful and unique things she provided this world, the most precious are the tenderness and feeling of serenity that her presence provided each and every one us. I’ve heard so many people describe how deeply she touched and inspired them even if they had only met once. This fact, and the deep and unbreakable bonds she has developed with her friends and loved ones is a testament to her truly remarkable ability to spread love on this planet and share her incredible passion for life and the mountains. She was a true Angel.

To those that knew her more intimately, her passing has provided an extraordinary challenge to us yet an opportunity to appreciate her magnificence as a person and reflect on the gifts she has given us during her time with us. Liz was blessed with an uncanny natural ability to brighten the darkest times, provide warmth in the coldest of places, and offer her seemingly endless supply of unconditional love and support for everyone around her.

Liz always valued family strongly and has provided remarkable support to her family during times of need. She was a pillar of stability and a beacon of light in a world that can often be unstable or dark. I know that her devotion to her family will be reflected during this challenging time and the strong bonds she built will only strengthen over time as her memory lives on in our hearts.

My life intersected hers in Bellingham, Washington where we both attended school many years ago. Her unimaginable zest for life and pure sense of adventure were so incredibly important in bringing us together. We were able to share and develop our skills in the mountains together over the years as we lived in Washington, Utah, and finally Chamonix. From the very beginning Liz demonstrated her passion and stoke with eternal commitment and natural tenacity. I knew that she was in this for life. As our love for each other grew over many unforgettable adventures all over the world, it became clear to me that she was here on this planet to inspire others and share her unique brand of passion for life and the mountains. That unmistakable Liz Daley touch was always there–from those crazy days playing kickball to a desperate snow cave on Denali.

For those who worked with her as a guide and had the opportunity to journey into the wild with her, it was so clearly obvious that she was following her calling. She was at ease with people in the mountains and her sense of peace and belonging was projected to everyone she came into the contact with. Over the last few years I’ve heard so much touching feedback from her former clients, partners, and colleagues describing how she positively impacted many lives in such short amount of time. Her blossoming career as a guide was defined by her conservative approach to the mountains and her desire to come back at the end of the day. She took this mentality to heart as she shared places of indescribable beauty with her friends as well as complete strangers.

Living without Liz will be a massive challenge for all of us. I asked her to be my wife just over two months ago (the pictures I have posted are from shortly after I asked her) with the intention of spending a long life together and supporting her unconditionally in her endeavors to spread her love and happiness in wild places. Though our time was cut short, the lessons and gifts she showered us with will be indelibly etched into our souls. If there is one thing that I am sure of during this unimaginably difficult time, it’s that Liz would want us to cherish one another, follow our hearts, and pursue our passions to the ends of the earth.
I love you so much Liz and we will never forget you. Your legacy will live on in all of us.
I also can’t tell you all how thankful I am of your unwavering support. I can’t wait to see you all soon.

Love,
Davide De Masi

[robrox]

Davide,

Thank you.

It seems she will live in many hearts. Amazing how much consolation that is.

All the best,
Rob

[LightRanger]

Godspeed to Liz, and my condolences, Davide. You were a lucky guy to know, love, and be loved by her.

[skifishbum]

that coudn't have been easy to type/post
thanks so much for doing it
i remember back when demowomen left us and the feeling of helplessness and needing to do something
and some flowers being left for someone in the shop
other than heart felt vibes and that same feeling knowing your addictions often come w/ hefty price of consquences
yet seeing no way to end them
i'm puttin this here for you, her, me, all of us who greive at the loss of another to the mountains who make us who we are

maybe ski ya round again sometime
either way may the peace of the mountains be w/ you and guide you through the pain and hard times.

[Buster Highmen]

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[CarveMan]

I was so devastated to hear the sad news about Liz.

As a lover of Chamonix and voracious consumer of her & your TRs it really hit me hard.

Like many before me, I have been absolutely enchanted by those towering peaks above Cham, and it is posters like yourself, Liz, jumpturn etc who have provided such amazing inspiration for me to personally get out there and climb those peaks and ski the big lines.

I am positively gaper-ific in comparison but if this provides you with any solace, Liz, yourself and others have been a massive influence in the last few years of my life. It has changed how I ski & where I ski, and I am a better person for it - far healthier in body and mind. Thank you.

I saw you two once in a laundromat in Cham but didn't sack up and ask for change for a nickel. Now I really wish I had. I will next time.

Take care.

[SB]

Well put.

Even after a shining light is extingished the memories live on in your heart and mind. Keep it true.


love and light to you

[freak]

so very tagic. i really dont know what to add, but those have been some sad days for a lot of people.

thanks for writing that up.
all the best to you,

lorenzo

[Generalstark]

Thank you for these words. I can't even imagine what you must be going through right now. I don't know BettyDee, but feel like I do through her TRs. Her photos and descriptions have been a huge inspiration to me. I was fortunate enough to do the TMB this summer for my honeymoon and was amazed by the Mont Blanc massif and all the adventuring possibilities there. I can't wait to go back and while I will never ski most of the lines BettyDee and you shared here, her inspiration will live on for many of use who dream of such adventures.

Having know my wife and partner in adventures for over 7 years, I can't even fathom what it would be like to lose her. Know that we all are pulling for you in these sad times.

[NoPostholio]

Thanks for posting this Davide - she was a special part of this place, and it is no surprise that her presence was felt by so many - I wish peace and healing for you, her family and friends, and the multitude of strangers whose lives were touched by her special gifts.

[Zeedashbo]

Thanks for posting davide. So sorry for you and all those close to you and her. I can't imagine the pain of having someone you love so much taken away so soon.

With so many people leaving us in the last few years I've noticed that us mountain people have what I consider a true feeling of what happens when we die. I've seen it echoed throughout these forums, through deep thought on the skin track, and from personal talks with other like minded people. That when we die, our spirit soars. Our consciousness leaves our flesh and moves freely. I like to think that we move through the mountains seeking this feeling, and that death is the ultimate freedom from human constraint. rest assured that your angel is more free and more beautiful than ever and you will be with her again.

[DoWork]

I always feel like I don't know what to say in times like and so I normally keep quiet out of respect but after reading that I feel overwhelmingly compelled to thank you, powdherb. Having the strength to share these candid and very personal feelings with the community is unfathomable to me, but that little glimpse into your perspective has given me a massive amount of positivity. It is impossibly difficult to quantify what happens to us when someone of that unimaginable caliber leaves us, but the way you are able to remember the things that made her so amazing in this hard time is positively heroic. Just wanted to say that while I am saddened by the passings of JP and Andreas, they just don't hit home like Betty. She was one of us through and through, and I just wanted to thank you for being part of what made her who she was- as well as for having the strength to be here right now sharing these intimate thoughts and stories. I hope the community's love for the both of you helps you through this nightmare, and although I never met either of you personally, I wanted you to know thinking about you.

God bless you, Powdherb.

[mmmthmtskier]

Davide, thanks for sharing your story with us. A shared life and passion, there is nothing better...

[grrrr]

I hope that peace finds you, and that her memory will always be sweet, even through the sorrow. She was a great woman.

[strawjack]

Sorry for your loss Powdherb.

[smitchell333]

Sorry for your loss Davide

Let us know if we can help in any way.

[TWINS]

So sorry for your loss. Thoughts and prayers to you and family+++++

[babybear]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Davide. She was an amazing spirit and inspired many. Deepest condolences and wishing you whatever peace you can find.

[peds]

My very most sincere condolences Davide. We've never met, but we've shared a few of the same lift lines, and those cold mornings just seemed warmer when she was around. She was a truly inspirational lady.

My thoughts are with you dude, stay strong.

[Mr brownstone]

I can't even begin to imagine how difficult this must be for you, davide. So courageous of you to not only put your heart into words, but even more courageous to share your heart with a huge caring community so soon after her passing.

you were fortunate beyond words to share so much of your life with such a brilliant human being. She will continue to be by your side thru all future adventures till you both will one day meet again.

Peace and love to you.

[hutash]

Most of us never knew Liz except through her amazing TRs. These words let us know her a little bit, in both a sad and happy way. Thank you for posting that.

Having been married to the love of my life for nearly 30 years now I can't imagine losing her as you have lost Liz, but if I lost her tomorrow I would cherish every day I had with her, as I know you will cherish all those days you had with Liz.

Peace

[Tri-Ungulate]

I am so sad you have to face this powdherb, my deepest condolences. I appreciate your sharing BettyDee's unique and wonderful character with us and I wish you and all who knew and loved her all the best.

[WaistDeepGroomers]

Davide, there is a little phrase I notice that gets posted around here that's taken on a lot more meaning that I would have imagined any one phrase would in an internet community where the majority of people have never met, and a lot of the time is spent uselessly bitching at each other: "Maggot down." I think splat posted it earlier this week when the news was coming in. I'd seen it before, like when Thin Cover's house burned to the ground this winter. It produced rallying cries and support like nothing I would have imagined, as I'm sure Dalton can attest to. And when it's put out, it really, really feels like one of US, someone we care about, even if we have only known them through their posts, is in trouble, and the call to help is instinctual. It's weird, but it's one of the reasons I've loved being a part of this community, both "professionally" through TGR and as much if not much for my own reasons, as it gave me an excuse to really spend some great time in here.

I knew Liz as a contributor to our main site, but we had a pretty vague relationship. The last time we talked, she was checking in to made sure we'd processed an invoice for her Denali story, as she was soon headed to Europe. But even though I can't attest to much personally, I absolutely loved and respected the fearless and unfiltered way in which she brought her adventures to the masses here; it can be a tough crowd, doubly so as a woman, but her words, photos, and approach to life so were vibrant that people just ate up every TR she posted in here. I see a lot of people write and post a lot of stuff about snowsports, but her stuff got me really excited for the future, really excited that there were gals like her with that attitude and spirit, winning over anyone who they came in contact with.

I've been keeping this post updated with as much info. as I can track down about the two tragedies: http://www.tetongravity.com/story/sk...lean-avalanche

Davide, I hope you don't mind me taking the liberty of putting a photo in there from your Facebook, but I thought pairing a photo of you two with your great words was really important. As you see if you scroll through the post, you'll see Jeremy Jones wrote this:

"I'm crushed by the loss of Liz Daley. Liz was a hero of mine because of what she did in the mountains and the attitude and spunk she did it with. She spent as much time in serious mountains as anyone I know, and was well on her way to becoming a world class mountain guide that just happened to be a female and a splitboarder. She was a true trailblazer on this front and was winning over the old guard of mountain men with hard work, knowledge and a McConkey-sized sense of humor."

Casimiro wrote in his Adventure Journal post about how we find the most surprising people are our heroes: that Steve, who's had a lifetime of ups, downs, tragedies, stories, and relationships with all kinds of the most unbelievable people in snowsports, still looks up to his 17-year old son in ways as a hero. Jeremy, who many looked up to as a hero in the mountains, also looked up to your Liz as a hero for who she was, and that's pretty humbling.

I'm going to stop my rambling, but as some have said here, JP and Andreas were these icons, almost untouchable in many ways. But Liz felt like one of us, out in front. Maggot down. Whatever we can do Davide, please let us know. Our thoughts are with you and Liz...

[stuckathuntermtn]

Wow. Deepest sympathies.

[MMP]

My deepest sympathies for your loss. I'm very sorry.