May 20, 2024
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McHenry native Patrick Gasienica, U.S. Olympics ski jumper, dies in motorcycle accident

24-year-old competed during 2022 Winter Games in Beijing

By Northwest Herald staff report
Patrick Gasienica, of McHenry, soars through the air during the men's normal hill individual ski jumping trial round at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China.

Patrick Gasienica, of McHenry, soars through the air during the men's normal hill individual ski jumping trial round at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. Gasienica died Monday in a motorcycle accident at age 24. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini/AP)

Patrick Gasienica, a U.S. Olympian ski jumper from Norge Ski Club, died Monday afternoon when he suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident.

Gasienica, 24, was returning to his McHenry home from work when the accident occurred.

Gasienica was one of three Norge jumpers who represented Team USA in the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Gasienica finished 49th on the normal hill and 53 on the large hill, while Team USA finished 10th.

Gasienica grew up jumping at Norge Ski Club in Fox River Grove. He lived with his mother, Jolanta Kiwior, in McHenry. He made his International Ski and Snowboard Federation debut in 2015. He competed for the USA in the 2016 and 2017 Junior World Ski Championships.

Norge was first represented in the 2018 Olympics by Michael Glasder, Kevin Bickner, Casey Larson and A.J. Brown who all qualified for Team USA to compete in PyeonChang, South Korea.

Gasienica joined Bickner and Larson on Team USA in 2022. He was born in the U.S. to Polish immigrants. His grandfather, father and uncle all were ski jumpers.

“Patrick was a very well-liked ski jumper in the jumping community,” Norge coach Scott Smith said. “Our hearts are truly broken, and Patrick will be forever missed.”