American freestyle skier Jeret Peterson, also known to his fans as Speedy, has committed suicide. Peterson died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head Monday night.
Before his death, Peterson called police and told them of his intentions and location. Police found his body and car off Interstate 80 in Lambs Canyon, Utah around 11:30 p.m. Peterson left a suicide note, but details on what the note said have not been released.
Although Peterson was successful in his skiing career, he battled depression, gambling and alcohol addiction. He had previously admitted to having suicidal thoughts and blamed his ongoing problems on being the victim of sexual abuse as a child. Just last week he was arrested for drunk driving.
Peterson won seven World Cup events and was the 2005 World Cup champion. He won the silver medal for freestyle skiing at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics after landing his original “Hurricane” maneuver.
"The entire Olympic family is heartbroken to hear the news of Jeret 'Speedy' Peterson's untimely passing. I know Speedy's friends and family were incredibly proud of his effort in Vancouver, and his achievements were an inspiration to people all over the world,” said U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun. "The personal challenges that Speedy has battled are familiar to all of us, and on behalf of the U.S. Olympic Committee, I'd like to offer my sympathy to Speedy's family and friends. Today is a sad day."
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