Long Island skier Dan McGovern, 25, mourned
Daniel McGovern from his Facebook page. Credit: Photo by facebook
He had a "contagious" laugh, was a great storyteller and preferred never to sit down.
That's how friends and neighbors Saturday remembered Dan McGovern, 25, of Westbury, who died in an upstate skiing accident.
McGovern was skiing with relatives Friday morning at Whiteface Mountain Ski Center in Wilmington, N.Y., when he lost control and hit several trees, police said.
Ski patrol and emergency medical technicians tried to revive him on the mountain. Essex County Coroner Kellie Valentine said McGovern -- who was wearing a helmet -- died from a severe blow to his chest.
McGovern grew up in Carle Place and graduated from Carle Place High School in 2004.
The only child of Michael and Doris McGovern, he studied business at St. John's University and later worked for JPMorgan Chase, friends said. He loved his yellow Jeep Wrangler and rooted for the Giants, Islanders and Yankees.
Brian Skelton, 25, who grew up in the neighborhood with McGovern, said he "loved Dan like a brother."
"He was a guy with a big heart," Skelton said. "His laugh was contagious and once he started we couldn't stop."
Joseph Maccia, 63, who with his wife Janice has lived for 25 years in the house across the street from McGovern's parents, spoke Friday night with Michael McGovern, a retired NYPD officer.
"They're in shock -- we still are, too, honestly," Maccia said.
Full coverage of the winter storm from NewsdayTV The NewsdayTV team was across Long Island monitoring the winter weather and what's next.
Full coverage of the winter storm from NewsdayTV The NewsdayTV team was across Long Island monitoring the winter weather and what's next.
