Dmitry Feld, who spent nearly four decades with USA Luge as a coach and executive, died Wednesday because of complications from leukemia. He was 68.
His death was announced by USA Luge, which received word from Feld's wife of his passing. Feld died at a hospital in Burlington, Vermont, the organization said.
Feld had been the organization's marketing manager since 2000, a move that followed years as a coach and communications staff member. He began feeling ill around Christmas, USA Luge CEO Jim Leahy said. Feld had been battling leukemia for years, and over the holidays he was dealing with breathing issues that worsened in recent days.
“We are all shocked. ... May this wonderful man rest in peace,” Leahy said.
Feld was born in the former Soviet Union, then spent part of his youth in Lithuania before the family settled in Ukraine. He moved to New York in 1979 after a brief stint as a Soviet slider, then moved to Lake Placid, New York, at USA Luge's request in 1984 and never left. He worked briefly for USA Bobsled and Skeleton, but spent most of the last 40 years in luge.
“Any friend of luge,” Feld said in 2018, “is a friend of mine.”
Feld was extremely active in the community, raising money to send supplies to war-torn Ukraine — and even led a charge to fly Ukrainian flags in downtown Lake Placid last spring. He was planning to return to Ukraine to help his nation rebuild after the war, he said last year.
Feld also was the president of the Shipman Youth Center's board of directors, plus helped organize the annual I Love BBQ And Music Festival — a three-day event in Lake Placid that raised money for various causes geared toward helping children.
“If people were one-third as good as Dmitry, the world would have no problems,” USA Luge director of marketing Gordy Sheer said.
Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced.
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Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
