The University of Louisiana-Layfayette announced with sadness that 18-year old Michael Arthur ‘Micky’ Geller, a top-ranked Canadian waterskier, passed away on May 6. He had been attending the university, majoring in kinesiology and marketing, and was on a full-ride scholarship with the national champion Ragin Cajuns. Although the cause of death was not disclosed, Water Ski Canada stated it was sudden.
A native of Carp, Ontario, Geller had started waterskiing when he was only four years old. Subsequently, he became a member of Canada’s junior national water ski team, and had competed in various prestigious tournaments such as the IWWF World Championships, the Jr. US Masters Water Ski Tournament, and the Pan American Championships in 2022. He was the sixth-ranked junior water skier in the world for the U21 jump, and specialized in the Slalom, Trick & Jump events.
The news of Geller’s death was met with an outpouring of grief from his teammates on social media. Annemarie Wroblewski, a sophomore waterskier, posted on Facebook saying “We love you so much Micky. He always said how glad and how proud he was to be able to go to UL and be on the waterski team with all of us. He was looking forward for U21 worlds and being able to continue skiing.”
The University of Louisiana-Layfayette’s water ski team, a nine-time champion in the National Collegiate Water Ski Association, expressed their sorrow and that Geller was a valued member of the team. Geller’s family wrote in his obituary that, with his all-or-nothing attitude, he achieved more in his 18 years than many have in their lifetime. He is survived by his parents Bobbiann and Mitch, as well as his sister Chloe.