Former East Granby Man With 'Lust for Life' Dies While Skiing

A former East Granby resident died last week in British Columbia, Canada as a result of a skiing accident, according to published reports.

Adam Lawton, 30, was caught in a snowslide in the backwoods about 125 miles west of Calgary and, according to the Associated Press, “was dug out by members of his party, who performed CPR. He was taken from the avalanche site by helicopter to hospital in nearby Golden, where he died.”

Lawton graduated from Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford in 1999, according to his obituary, and is the son of Nancy and David Lawton, who still reside in East Granby. Nancy Lawton is the director of the East Granby Parks & Recreation Department.

According to his obituary, Adam Lawton made his home in Utah, where he worked as an Outdoor Experiential Education Manager at Gateway Academy - a therapeutic treatment facility for troubled adolescent boys - in Salt Lake City.

An article in the Salt Lake Tribune quoted Karen Flynn, co-owner and executive director of Gateway Academy, as stating, "The outpouring of grief at Adam’s loss has been a testament to how truly beloved he was. Adam’s love of life and his passion for all it holds touched each of us deeply. He was an inspiring leader, devoted mentor and true friend. It was an all too brief time that Adam was part of our Gateway family, and we are all better for having known him."

While in high school and college, Adam Lawton worked as a camp counselor at Granbrook Park, East Granby First Selectman James Hayden said.

“He was a wonderful young man with a loving heart and a lust for life who lived for adventure,” Hayden said in a telephone interview. “We’re going to miss him.”

The obituary states that Adam Lawton's memorial service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 10 a.m. at Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford in the Rice Auditorium. Donations can be made in Adam's memory to the campaign to build the Canyon Country Discovery Center at the Four Corners School of Outdoor Education P.O. Box 1029, Monticello, UT 84535, www.fourcornersschool.org. For online condolences, visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com.