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Skier and Filmmaker Kai Smart, 23, Dies After Avalanche in Japan

His family says his organ donations are helping four people.

Overview

  • His father, former Olympian John Smart, confirmed the death and said the burial in the slide caused a severe lack of oxygen that left no chance of recovery.
  • Smart had been flown by air ambulance from Japan to Vancouver General Hospital for testing and care.
  • The family said he was an organ donor and that his heart and other organs are now supporting four recipients.
  • There will be no funeral, with a celebration of life planned in Whistler where he grew up.
  • The 2025 University of British Columbia graduate was an aspiring filmmaker behind the ski documentaryTien Shan Dream,” as friends and groups like Gus Kenworthy and Freestyle Canada shared tributes.