Autopsy: Skier who hit Welch Village tower died of heart attack

A 65-year-old skier from La Crescent, Minn., who hit a chair lift tower at Welch Village Ski Area on March 16 died of a heart attack, perhaps even before he hit the tower, the Goodhue County medical examiner said Monday.

George Conway, who was skiing with his adult grandson, died on the slopes of the popular southeastern Minnesota ski area after appearing to lose control and veering toward the tower, witnesses and authorities said. Although it appeared that he had suffered grave injuries upon impact, an autopsy revealed the cause of death to be a heart attack, medical examiner Lindsey Thomas said.

Conway's death was the first fatality at Welch Village, which has been in operation for 45 years, resort officials and authorities said.