15 February 2024 , 17:04
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Emotional tributes have been paid to a 'warm and funny' British man who died after plunging down one of the world's most dangerous ski slopes.
Grahame Carter, a 47-year-old from Chichester, West Sussex, is understood to have fallen several hundred metres to his death in an accident at Valais ski resort near Champery last week. Police said he had entered the infamous slope, known as the 'Swiss Wall', with two other people. The area was closed at the time due to icy conditions.
Mr Carter died at the scene following the fall, despite attempts being made to resuscitate him. He was the third British to die in ski-related incidents in Europe in only two weeks.
Grahame Carter worked as chief sales officer at Gattaca, a specialist engineering recruitment firm. In a company statement on social media paying tribute, CEO Matthew Wragg wrote: "It is hard to put into words how loved and respected Grahame was. He joined us over 20 years ago in 2001 and leaves behind an enormous legacy – not only of the thousands of people for whom he helped build careers but of the countless close relationships with colleagues and customers he fostered during his time at Gattaca.
"If you knew Grahame, you’ll know how warm, kind, funny, caring and generous he was. He had an infectious passion for life and was more than a respected leader within our business – he was a dear friend to many, myself included. Everyone at Gattaca will miss him terribly and cherish the many wonderful memories we shared with him."
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Grahame's wife Roma Carter, with whom he had a son named Harry and a daughter, Evie, responded to the firm's post on LinkedIn with her own emotional message, where she pledged that her family would continue to "make him proud".
She wrote: “It is so clear how much he was loved. He was very easy to love - crazy and impetuous and kind and gentle and the best listener. And excellent at teaching everyone Ice Ice Baby! I was lucky to have him in my life for over 25 years - from the 90s working together at The Wine Vaults (it was the 90s - he had very impressive sideburns. He drove his old Saab and I drove my Morris Minor) to now he stayed true to his values.
Roma added that he "treated everyone equally" and "made us all feel special and cherished". She went on to write: “I am grateful for all those years - I just wish we could have grown old together - we were planning so many new adventures over the forthcoming years. Harry, Evie and I will work to continue to make him proud and to recognise the value of every day.”
Speaking after the incident on Wednesday, February 7, a spokesperson for the Swiss Police said: "There were two skiers and a snowboarder. They were on a closed piste. It is an extreme run, the most difficult. It is very, very steep. Due to the icy conditions, it was closed.
"There is an investigation underway. The man fell hundreds and hundreds of metres, 300 to 400 metres down the slope. The victim was a 47-year-old British national living in England and he died at the scene of the accident. He was most certainly on holiday. We are not giving information about the other two people."