Canadian freeskier Sarah Burke died Thursday morning from injuries sustained during a halfpipe crash January 10, according to a statement issued on Thursday by Quiksilver, Burke's leading sponsor. Burke died at the University of Utah Hospital, where she was airlifted after a crash in the halfpipe at Park City Mountain Resort, where she was training.

According to the statement, "As the result of Sarah's fall, she suffered a ruptured vertebral artery, one of the four major arteries supplying blood to the brain. The rupture of this artery led to a severe intracranial hemorrhage, which caused Sarah to go into cardiac arrest on the scene. Emergency personnel responded and CPR was administered on the scene during which time she remained without a pulse or spontaneous breathing. Studies in the University of Utah Hospital Emergency Department indicated that she retained brainstem function. She was placed on life support and a protocol of therapeutic hypothermia was initiated to protect her brain."

Burke underwent surgery on January 11 and the injured artery was successfully repaired. According to the statement, "After the operation, numerous neurological examinations, electrodiagnostic tests and imaging studies revealed that Sarah sustained severe irreversible damage to her brain due to lack of oxygen and blood after cardiac arrest, resulting in hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy." Burke was surrounded by her family and husband, pro freeskier Rory Bushfield, at the time of her death. Her organs and tissues were donated.

While early reports in the media stated that Sarah's injury was a traumatic brain injury, Burke's condition was the result of a lack of oxygen to the brain during cardiac arrest.

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The family wishes to express their deep gratitude to Sarah's dear friends for their love and support, and for traveling to Salt Lake City to comfort the family," read the statement. "They would also like to thank the University of Utah Hospital and her physicians and care team in the Neuro Critical Care Unit for their incredible care and compassion."

A public celebration of Sarah's life will be held in the coming weeks.

Source ESPN Action Sports