Jeff's Story

On March 24th, Jeff Keenan, beloved partner, father, son, brother and friend to so many, was tragically taken in an avalanche in the Kootenays backcountry, BC, Canada. He leaves behind his lifelong partner, Leanne Pelosi, and their two-year-old son, Khyber, who was the absolute light of his life. Jeff wasn’t just known for his incredible decades-long influence in snowboarding, for co-founding Dinosaurs Will Die, or for his talented work behind the lens. He was known for his heart, his smile, humor and generosity.

His deep love for Leanne, his joy in fatherhood, his passion and curiosity for exploring the world, and the warmth brought to every space he entered. He was kind. He was present. And he was so deeply loved by so many. Leanne and Jeff shared more than 20 years of life together, building a home, a family and a creative legacy side by side. Their lives were completely intertwined. They were both self-employed, working in the mountains and raising Khyber with their shared love of life. And now, Leanne is facing the unimaginable. In a moment, she lost her partner, her co-parent, her teammate in life. She dug Jeff out herself and performed CPR for over 30 minutes.

She did everything, and she was with him in those final moments, telling him how loved he was. That is something none of us should ever have to live through. Leanne now needs time to grieve, to heal, and to show up for Khyber without the immediate pressure of returning to work, especially when her work is in the same backcountry that just took the love of her life. We’re raising funds to give her that time. To help cover memorial and evacuation costs, legal logistics, living expenses, child care, and to start a fund for Khyber’s future. This is how we hold her up. This is how we show her she’s not alone.

If you loved Jeff, if you were touched by his spirit, his creativity, his generosity, please give what you can. Any amount helps. And please share this with others who knew and loved him, or who understand the weight of this kind of loss. Jeff’s absence is overwhelming. But his legacy of love, laughter, and living life with full-hearted intention will carry on through Khyber, through Leanne, and through every one of us who was lucky enough to know him. Thank you for helping us hold Leanne and Khyber in this time of heartbreak. Let’s show up for them the way Jeff always showed up for us.