Washington Lawyer Killed in Freak Ski Accident at Mount Hood Meadows, OR

Patrick Kubin, a Longview, Washington, lawyer and expert skier, was on a trip with friends at Oregon’s Mount Hood Meadows when his ski bindings suddenly released and he was launched headfirst into a 10-foot-deep snow hole, reports PEOPLE.

“When my mother called me and told me it, was most shocking news I have ever received,” son William says of the moment he learned of his father’s death. “The shock was quickly overpowered by the most excruciating pain I have ever experienced, and that pain has not even started to ease.”

The incident occurred around 3 pm at the Shooting Star lift, on his last run of the day. Patrick’s friends and ski patrol workers administered CPR but were unable to save him.

“He was the backbone of our family and a huge part of this community. He just loved the outdoors,” William continues. “He was a loving father, grandfather, husband, friend, and mentor to all. He just loved living every day to the fullest.”

Patrick worked as a defense lawyer in Longview and later became a Cowlitz County court commissioner. William says his father was a valued member of the community, participating in several clubs and local groups.

He leaves behind his wife, Jill Johanson, and four adult children.