Russell Thomas Kelly

Russell Thomas Kelly of Ophir, CO, a small mountain village outside of Telluride, formerly of Darien, CT, died Monday evening, August 9, 2004 in a car accident in Yellowstone National Park, MT. He was returning home from a three-week whitewater kayaking expedition in Lake Baikal region of Siberia, Russia.

Born August 15, 1974 in Stamford, CT, he was the son of Joseph T. and Melanie Reisdorf Kelly of Darien, CT. He was 29 years of age. Russell grew up in Darien and attended Holmes Elementary and Middlesex Middle Schools. In ninth grade, he moved to Steamboat Springs, CO and attended The Whiteman School where he competed as a freestyle skier, and he learned to whitewater kayak.

His enthusiasm and devotion helped make him one of the most outstanding and well-known kayakers in the sport. He kayaked five of the continents including multiple class V first descents in Nepal, Kashmir, Peru, Chile and Argentina.

Russell worked summers as a river guide and kayak safety in Colorado, Idaho and the Gauley River in West Virginia and then for Jo-Ma-Ma’s Moving Company in Telluride to help finance his five month expeditions from October to March. He has some of the most difficult rivers in the world to his credit. One of those is the Chenab River in the Kashmir region of India, which he did solo (all by himself) in 2001 during the September 11 attack on the United States. He was a curiosity to the Indian soldiers riding lawries on their way to war at the Pakistani border. When he returned from that expedition, a local stopped him on the street and asked if he was an American, then insisted Russ come into the restaurant to see the TV showing the burning Twin Towers. He found the Indian people sympathetic and supportive there.

As an Adventure Photographer, Russell has had photos in the Portfolio section of Kayak Sessions Magazine, issues 9, 10 and yet to come 11, as well as photos in Canoe and Kayak, and the Patagonia Clothing Catalog. He has been the subject of photos such as a full page in Mens Journal Magazine, kayaking the famous class V “The North Fork” of the Payette River in Idaho.

Russell lived a life many dream of, and he had an endless list of dreams. He was not only a great kayaker, he was a “hell of a skier”, his brother says and enjoyed paragliding. He was an avid fan of the Grateful Dead, attending over one hundred shows. Russell liked people, and he called everyone his friend, and he did have friends all over the world. He appreciated the diversity of different cultures and participated in whatever he could, and he was invited to join in often and they seemed to enjoy him as well. He experienced both sides of life having grown up in Darien and witnessing poverty and war zones around the world. Being a great appreciator of the environment, he strongly believed in leave it as you found it.

Besides his parents, he is survived by his maternal grandmother, Jane Reisdorf of Clearwater, FL and one brother, Alex Kelly of Darien, CT. He is predeceased by one brother, Christopher S. Kelly.

Friends may call at the Edward Lawrence Funeral Home, 2119 Post Road, Darien, CT on Friday, August 13, 2004 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. A Graveside Service will be held at Spring Grove Cemetery, 41 Hecker Avenue, Darien, CT on Saturday, August 14, 2004 at 10:30 AM.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in memory of Russell to American Rivers, 1025 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 720, Washington, DC 20005-3516 or World Wildlife Fund, 1250 Twenty-fourth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037 or any environmental organization of one’s choice.