Of Life and Death

On a very sad note...

So my one of my best friends, Matt, has been hanging out and going on lots of dates with this girl, Chelsi Peterson. Our whole little group of friends got to know her fairly well and had hopeful thoughts for them... Sadly this morning we found out that she was killed in a car accident last night up in Provo Canyon. Now I wouldn't call her a close friend but I did have the opportunity to hang out with her and see her perform at BYU track meets. It is weird how heartbreaking it is for me to know of her death... She was one of the most absolutely talented athletes in both track and gymnastics as well and just an overall gorgeous sweet girl. I feel that I am not qualified to write on her death but I just feel such intense sadness for her family, friends, Matt and even for her and all the great things she could have achieved in this life. Heavenly Father must have really needed a girl like her up there.


Chelsi, you will be missed terribly.

Track Team Mourns Loss of Freshman Teammate

by Jeff Reynolds, BYU Athletic Communications


PROVO, Utah (June 6, 2008) -- The BYU athletics department has learned this morning of the unexpected and tragic death of track athlete Chelsi Petersen. A freshman from St. George, Utah, Petersen was killed early Friday morning in an automobile accident in Provo Canyon.

"Words cannot begin to express our feelings," BYU head women's track coach Craig Poole said. "It's devastating. Chelsi was one of the sweetest young ladies we have ever had on our team. She had a tremendous desire to be successful. She wanted to be here at BYU, competing, more than anything else in the world. It's just really too difficult to comprehend at the moment."

According to the Utah Highway Patrol, Petersen was a passenger in a vehicle that was attempting a left-hand turn on to Squaw Peak Road when it turned in to the path of an oncoming vehicle. According to reports, Petersen died at the scene of the accident. Former BYU sprinter Paul Smith, who was preparing to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials this month in Eugene, Ore., was driving the vehicle. He was taken to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in serious condition.


Petersen recently finished seventh in the heptathlon at the Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships. She totaled a career-best 4,883 points over the seven different events.

"Chelsi was a bright, up-and-coming athlete," Poole said. "More importantly, however, she was a tremendous person."