‘A full life’
- jfitts0
- Jun 27
- 12 min read
The lasting impact of Dan Negrelli
The late Dan Negrelli, seen here with wife Karen, daughter Keira and dog Maple at Kent Pond in Killington, VT, made the most of his time in this realm.
By John Fitts
Whether making fresh tracks at Killington, guiding students up Mount Washington, relaxing with family at Burlingame State Park, tailgating at Dead & Company, coordinating a back-yard pergola raising, or parading a tribe of Waldos through the streets of Collinsville, Dan Negrelli seized every moment.
“He lived a full life,” said fellow Canton resident and Ski Sundown Ski Patrol member Matt Loparco. “The thing that stands out about Dan, for me, is that he always had a positive attitude and outlook, and nothing was impossible. He never shied away from anything. If something was challenging, he’d be the first one to want to do it. A lot of people might be hesitant or reluctant. … not Dan.”
Daniel Angelo Negrelli was 53 when he died while skiing in Utah in February of this year. He left behind a loving family, an unmeasurable impact on his students, and a wide array of friends he gathered during his many adventures.
Dan and his wife Karen Brinkman both grew up in Connecticut, and by happenstance both moved out of state in 1997 and moved back the same weekend in the mid 2000s. It was shortly after returning to the state – both in the Vernon area - that they met via Match.com with Dan initiating the first “wink.”
Their first date involved a bar with loud music that made talking near impossible, but Dan was impressed with Karen’s knowledge of the 90s alternative rock. More importantly, it didn’t take Karen long to see Dan’s kindness and passion for living.
“I just remember thinking he was just so nice. He was just so exuberant and happy and just had a zest for life,” she said. “It was just refreshing to be around.”
The two married in 2009 and moved to Canton in 2014 after a stop to LaSalle Market and Deli in Collinsville put the town on their radar. They found a modest home, on which Dan put his vast carpentry and handyman skills to use over the years.
In Canton, the two found many friends, including several that had children close in age to their own daughter, Keira.
A love for outdoor adventure, especially skiing
Outdoor adventure was Dan’s passion and one he shared widely. Karen and Keira called him Nature D.
“He was so enthusiastic about sharing his love of the outdoors with other people,” Karen said.
Skiing topped the list.
“Skiing was really his life for sure,” Karen said.
By the time the two met, Dan had already owned an old “camp” style home near Killington Resort, where he was a ski instructor. Like his own home in Canton, Dan put extensive work into that home over the years.
Karen joined Dan on many adventures such as kayaking and hiking, but she was never quite as passionate about skiing. But Keira, now 14, sure was.
“Of course, when we had Keira, he was thrilled to introduce her to skiing,” Karen said. “She started skiing at like 18 months. … So, after that he forgot about trying to get me into it and it was just all about getting her into it. So, I was good with that.”
Keira and Dan made many memories, including trips to Mount Washington in New Hampshire, at all times of the year. Keira said she’s summited the mountain every year since age 6.
“I brag about that a lot,” Keira said.
The first time Keira skied Tuckerman Ravine on the mountain’s southeast face she found the run they chose easier than expected.
“It took us like 15 minutes to get down the trail … I said really that’s it?” Keira said. “I thought I was going to be doing some crazy, crazy skiing down 50 miles an hour, dodging rocks and jumping off cliffs but it wasn’t too bad.”
Dan worked as a ski instructor at Killington Resort for nearly 30 years and would travel up every weekend during the season.
This past year Keira also tagged along on the weekend excursions, teaching for the Mini Stars program at Killington.
A teacher who brought kids outside
Dan brought his passion for the outdoors to his students as well. He taught at A.I. Prince Technical High School in Hartford, for many years as computer applications instructor.
The school’s principal Charles Shooshan noted that Dan most recently filled the role of “portfolio teacher,” working with juniors and seniors on planning for the future. He also drove the bus for school athletic events and found a way to get the kids outdoors through the school’s Hiking and Adventure Club.
“For many of our students these hikes and adventures were the only time in their lives they were actually involved in this kind of activity, so it was very exciting for them,” Charles said. “Dan’s biggest contribution was his love of life and his love of the outdoors, and he instilled that in other people and people really enjoyed being around him and being led by him and he had a deep knowledge of the outdoors and camping and hiking and all of those types of activities. He was successful in getting other teachers involved in these extra-curricular activities and the hiking and adventure club.”
Last summer Dan even took a group of students to Mount Washington.
Makenzi Hurtado, union vice president, formerly taught math and worked alongside Dan for 9 years.
“He got really involved in the kids’ lives in a lot of different ways than just in the classroom and any student that knew him – they all would say that he was a kind person, that he cared about who they were as people and I think that’s something that was really obvious about him,” Makenzi said.
A leader on the slopes and elsewhere
Dan’s skills as a teacher and leader carried over to the outdoor pursuits.
Kinley Tener, a ski instructor and mountain bike instructor at Killington, came to the Vermont mountain in 2003. Dan showed him the ropes, enlisted Kinley’s help at his “camp” and guided him to the best tree skiing at Killington.
“I first met him on after-work fun runs,” Kinley said, referring to the post 3 p.m. skiing Dan and friends did after teaching responsibilities were done for the day. They would time it just right to do some fast runs and then catch the last lift up the mountain and slowly make their way down. “Dan knew how to make the most of it,” Kinley said. “He was a big fella, but he was very light on his feet, especially in the trees.”
Carol Saberin-Tener met Dan at Killington before her husband. At the time, Dan wasworking with young kids and would take them on ski scavenger hunts, gathering twigs and even trash. “Dan would always have the messiest tables as lunch,” Carol said. “He always had the kids engaged and he was teaching them about not just skiing but taking care of the planet.”
Kinley said teaching the kids inspiredDan – who had an undergraduate degree from UConn – to pursue his master’s in education at Castleton University.
Local ski clubs and Lt. Dan
Canton couple Marji Vitale and Bob Kane got to know Dan through skiing as well. The couple has two kids, one close in age to Keira.
Dan was interested in getting a Ski Club going with other Cherry Brook Primary School families. It ended up being a small, unofficial group and Marji has fond memories of Dan leading the pack as she skied last in line.
“I can just see him in my mind making those big S turns, periodically looking back and making sure the kids were all following along,” Marji said.
Stacy Kesl and Mike Kesl and their two kids also joined Dan and family on several adventures, sometimes all together, other times separately – at all times of the year. Stacy also remembers just how good Dan was with the kids.
“It was always nice having Dan around – the amazing skier and ski instructor he was. He would get the kids to kind of do group lessons without them even knowing,” Stacy said.
Like many friends, Bob Kane ended skiing with Dan up at Killington. When he wasn’t teaching, Dan skied “bell to bell” – never going in early. Some called him “Lt. Dan.”
“If you’d ski with him, you’d know why,” Bob said. “He was always ‘let’s go. Let’s go, let’s go here, let’s go here. And there’s no stopping for lunch either. It’s water and a power bar and that’s it and you go until 4. And if you don’t go to 4, you’re getting that look.”
And Dan would ski come snow, rain, sleet or spring sunshine.
“He was super passionate about it and never had a complaint,” Kane said. “He just loved being out there.”
Dan and fellow Ski Sundown Ski Patrol members in training.
Ski Patrol memories
In more recent years Dan was also a member of the Ski Sundown Ski Patrol, taking his classes in 2018-19 season.
Avon resident T.J. Oneglia was also in that same patrol class, which starts with classroom sessions at the beginning of the season.
“We were walking out probably the second or third night and [Dan] said, ‘anybody want to go get a beer?’” T.J. said. “He definitely wanted to bring people together, wanted to get to know people, wanted to develop friendships wherever he went.”
His new – and old – friends were also amazed at Dan’s skiing.
Jay Pesci, who was also in that class, remembers seeing his friend get out of his Toyota Tacoma and thinking this 6-foot, one-inch, 230-pound guy couldn’t possibly ski gracefully.
“What I couldn’t get over is when I saw him get out of that little Tacoma. … I was like ‘how does this guy even ski?’ And then when he got on the snow I was like, oh that’s how,” Jay said. “That’s how we should all ski.”
When those in the class finally got on the mountain after several weeks of classroom instruction, Dan was called on to demonstrate “side slipping.”
“Dan goes right after you goes up and just rips it,” said Chris Berning, another friend and patroller. “From that point forward …. you had Dan essentially teaching the rest of us as well. He went right into that leadership role – as a student.”
“He came to us as a student but very quickly…. Just jumped right in,” said Canton resident and Sundown Ski Patrol Director Jeff Barter, who also noted that Dan was always first to volunteer for any and every task. “Even when you’re not in class environment and you’re out just taking runs with him he always would throw out that little bit of extra wisdom.”
Dan’s other personalities came through during Ski Patrol training. In the classroom, he expressed surprise at the amount of medical knowledge required but also went down several rabbit holes before the instructor reeled him back.
Dan also had a passion for equipment, often helping friends invest in better gear and giving Karen’s family members a bit of a hard time for big box store purchases.
T.J. Oneglia remembers a moment at a Ski Swap, run annually by Ski Sundown Ski Patrol. A customer asked about the difference between two sets of ski boots. T.J. pointed out the number of buckles and struggled to say more.
“Dan’s overhearing this, right? He comes over and says, ‘OK I got this’ and got right into it,” T.J. said. “He gave this guy the rundown on the boots like he was fitting out Mikaela Shiffrin for a slalom race.”
And Dan was always working on his own skills. One day while preparing for a trip, Dan borrowed an ice axe from Jay.
“We’re sitting in the patrol top shack,” Jay recalled. “One of the patrollers walks in, she goes, ‘there’s some patroller on Satan’s Stairway sliding down with an ice axe and just stopping himself.’ I was like ‘oh yeah, that’s Dan practicing self-arrest for when he goes up to Mount Washington.’”
Other adventures
In the past few years, Dan began going on annual ski trips out West with a small group. The first year Dan showed up at the airport with a cooler full of craft beer. Airport security made him dump the ice but let him bring the goods, friends said. True to form, Dan shared that beer widely – well beyond the friend group.
In warmer weather, Dan also loved camping with the family, particularly at Burlingame State Park in Rhode Island, where’d they’d also go to Blue Shutters Beach.
He also enjoyed family shopping trips in North Conway, New Hampshire, swim holes in Vermont and hiking South Hill in Stockbridge, VT. Friends joined the many hiking trips to the White Mountains.
Dan also spent time locally with the family and their 5-year-old Goldendoodle Maple, including snowshoeing and walking. One time, Karen was walking at Nepaug, came to a fork in the trail and Maple insisted on going a particular way. Karen called Dan and sure enough that was the path he had chosen while mountain biking a bit ahead of them.
A planner by nature
With nearly all the adventures – especially major excursions like overnight hiking trips in the White Mountains – Dan was a meticulous planner but could keep people guessing.
“You could never really predict when something was going to occur but when Dan was planning a trip you know every i was dotted, and every t was crossed. The important things were having the right people, having a cooler of IPAs and making sure there were copious amounts of coffee,” Jay said.
But Dan would sometimes tweak his plans. “He’d have a big trip planned, everyone would have their information, the itinerary, then last minute he’d be like well wait, why don’t we do this?” Karen said. “And then everyone’s heads would explode. He did that a lot.”
Like with Spring skiing, Dan would also plan the pre-show tailgating at concerts such as Phish and Dead and Company. “All I had to do was bring a chair,” Bob Kane said. “He had everything else.”
Dan could also be spontaneous, reaching out to friends at a moment’s notice for quick outdoor adventures like mountain biking at ‘The Hood’ in Simsbury or Nepaug State Forest. Other times, he planned to attend classes to further his knowledge and would often invite friends along.
“He would do it and he would always put it out to you to see if you were interested. And if you were interested in it, you just went. That’s the way it was,” said Brian Smith, another friend, and fellow Sundown Ski Patrol member. “It didn’t matter what your background or political beliefs, Dan gathered people.”
At home and on the beaten path
Dan’s adventures weren’t always off the beaten path. Dan, Karen, Keira and friends were well known at the annual Collinsville Halloween Parade – with award winning group costumes – Waldos in 2023 and escaped prisoners the following year. The ideas were Dan’s and Karen’s respectively.
“The Halloween parade became a big tradition for us,” Karen said. “We’d have a party here first and then head down there.”
And then there were projects, so many projects, like the dog home – modeled exactly after the family’s – for Maple. She, of course, had no interest in it.
Bob remembers one day when Dan revealed his plans to build a backyard pergola. In just weeks’ time, Dan reached out to him and other friends to raise the intricate structure, Bob said. From the woodworking, to the hardware, to the assembly, to new friendships, everything was perfect.
“I get there, and this thing is like a work of art,” Kane said. “I don’t know how he had time to make this thing. It’s amazing. That kind of stuff happened all the time. Dan would say he was going to do something, and it would happen.”
Friends were even more amazed that Dan would get so much done and be in bed by 7:30 p.m.
Lasting memories
Even in death, Dan has brought people together.
Friends have vowed to continue the adventures, remain close and remember Dan’s infectious smile, laugh and perpetual good mood. Keira’s friendship circles have also remained close, friends said.
And his friends have learned that Dan’s impact reached further than they knew. In celebration of life events at home and at Killington, they heard about some of Dan’s many, many efforts to help and encourage others, no matter their situation, job title or social status.
“Things keep bubbling up that he did and ways he impacted people,” Chris said.
Since his death, Dan’s family has also felt the love from so many.
Artists have painted his portrait and donated works to auction off for the family’s benefit.
Members of the Ski Sundown Ski Patrol made “Be like Dan” buttons and Bob made stickers that include black diamond ski run symbols and the letters D.A.N. – both his name and initials.
Karen remains eternally grateful for those and other measures of emotional and financial support – some from complete strangers.
Friends are also grateful for Dan’s photographs of group adventures. He’s usually the corner – sometimes blurred or half in the frame – but always smiling.
“I remember him saying, ‘I think I actually invented the selfie because I was doing this before phones, when it was just a camera,’” Jay said. “He was hilarious – without trying.”
The selfie claim is difficult to prove but one thing is clear. Dan positively impacted countless lives.
“He was just a guy that was about community – bringing people together,” Stacy noted. “Everybody was a friend of Dan’s.” VL
