An Airdrie family is mourning the passing of their teenage daughter, following a snowmobile accident on New Year's Eve while visiting family in Ontario for the holidays.
According to a GoFundMe page set up to support the family, 14-year-old Cassidy Crompton passed away on Dec. 31, 2021 at the hospital in Arnprior, Ont. after a collision involving her snowmobile that afternoon in the community of Woodlawn, outside of Ottawa.
"Cassidy was a ray of sunshine with a beautiful smile and an infectious laugh," the GoFundMe page stated. "She was a great friend to everyone and a cherished teammate in the Calgary STARS Cheerleading gym. Cass was supportive, encouraging, kind, and always the first to help. Her witty and bright sense of humour brought a smile to everyone's face. Cassidy will be dearly missed by all of us."
Crompton's cheerleading club, Calgary STARS, posted similar sentiments about her on Facebook on Jan. 2, calling Crompton a "breath of fresh air" in her approach to the sport.
"IMPACTFUL is the first word that comes to mind when we think of this beautiful human being," the club's statement read. "Cassidy left an IMPACT no matter where she went, no matter what the situation was."
The Calgary STARS post went on to state Crompton strived for perfection in her cheerleading endeavours and was determined to perfect a skill until she couldn't get it wrong.
"Cassidy was a dream to coach; strong, humble, determined and the best teammate anyone could ever ask for," the club stated. "Cassidy was the first to offer help, the first to give a compliment or shout-out and the first to yell, “We got this!” as the team started a tough stunt sequence."
The GoFundMe page intended to raise $20,000 for the Crompton family to support funeral expenses and loss of income as family members take time off of work. As of Jan. 7, the page has raised $23,280.
An Ottawa Police press release stated police, fire, and paramedic personnel responded to a collision involving a snowmobile in the Woodlawn area on Dec. 31, 2021 at approximately 3 p.m. According to the release, the 14-year-old, unnamed female rider was transported to Arnprior Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
"The cause of the collision is still under investigation and no further details are available at this time," the release stated.
"Anyone who may have witnessed the collision and did not speak with officers at the scene is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Collision Investigation Unit at 613-236-1222, extension 2481."
