Grayling man killed in skiing accident at Boyne Mountain

Karly Graham, The Petoskey News-Review
·2 min read
Travis Fleming died in a skiing accident at Boyne Mountain on Thursday, March 28, 2024.
Travis Fleming died in a skiing accident at Boyne Mountain on Thursday, March 28, 2024.

BOYNE FALLS — Travis Fleming, a 31-year-old from Grayling, died after hitting the base of a ski lift at Boyne Mountain on Thursday, March 28.

Matthew Mercier, Fleming's brother, told the News-Review that the pair were on their second run together when Fleming hit the concrete at the base of a ski lift.

Travis Fleming and his brother Matthew Mercier took this photo together on March 28, 2024 on a Boyne Mountain ski lift. Shortly after the photo was taken, Fleming collided with the base of a ski lift and died from his injuries.
Travis Fleming and his brother Matthew Mercier took this photo together on March 28, 2024 on a Boyne Mountain ski lift. Shortly after the photo was taken, Fleming collided with the base of a ski lift and died from his injuries.

Within 30 seconds of the impact, Mercier said two trauma nurses stopped to try to help his brother. After Fleming stopped breathing on his own, the two nurses administered CPR before he was transferred to an ambulance and taken to McLaren Northern Michigan hospital in Petoskey. He was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Fleming leaves behind a wife and a 5-year-old son. Mercier has started a GoFundMe to support his brother's family in their time of need.

"I just want to try to be able to provide for his child and wife the best that (I can)," Mercier said. "He'd do the same for me."

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So far, the GoFundMe has brought in more than $10,000 in donations.

"We all love my brother and knew he was a great guy, but we had no idea how many lives and people he affected," Mercier said. "Unfortunately, it's always the good ones and always the people that have the biggest effect that somehow seem to be taken from us the soonest."

Beyond trying to raise money for the family, Mercier hopes people take this tragic accident as a learning experience. He said Fleming was an experienced skier who always wore a helmet, but unforeseen obstacles and uncommon conditions can lead to tragedy.

The Charlevoix County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

— Contact reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KarlyGrahamJRN. 

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Grayling man killed in skiing accident at Boyne Mountain