Adam Tsapis

HARRISON — Adam Tsapis, 49, was kite skiing down Crystal Lake in Harrison Monday morning when a major gust of wind propelled him off the ice and into a shed along the shoreline.

Tsapis suffered traumatic injuries to his leg and arm, and later succumbed to his injuries at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.

Harrison Fire and Rescue were dispatched to Shore Lands Point Road at 11:08 a.m. for the kite-skiing accident. Rescue personnel then transported Tsapis to Bridgton Hospital, where he was taken by LifeFlight to CMMC.

Kite skiing is a relatively recent development of skiing where the pull comes from a kite. It can be done on water, snow, land or ice. The kites used for skiing are similar to those used for paragliding, but are generally smaller since the kite does not need to provide sufficient lift to raise the skier from the surface.

In 1996, Tsapis was co-founder of Summit Achievement, a licensed residential treatment center located in Stow. He was a 1991 graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and had over 25 years of experience working with adolescents and their families in treatment settings including the wilderness and even at sea as a former tall ship captain.

According to the Summit Achievement website, “Adam’s passion and ability to cultivate, develop and maintain working relationships with a variety of boarding schools, emotional growth schools, and therapeutic programs brings a wealth of knowledge and resources to the Summit community.”

Tsapis was responsible for developing and planning outreach strategies, working with parents, educational consultants, clinical professionals and school administrators. Summit Achievement serves adolescent boys and girls, ages 13 to 19, from around the world. “Through the process of engaging therapy, classroom academics and challenging wilderness expeditions, students learn to accept responsibility for personal decisions and past behaviors, address individual and family issues, and become invested in their future,” according to the company’s website. “Students are required to progress through six program levels. During this process, they become accountable for their behavior, build self-confidence, and learn skills needed to lead healthy, productive lives. Students graduate with a new attitude, the ability to accept limits, and the resolve to avoid past behaviors and poor choices.”

According to the Summit Achievement website, Tsapis is survived by his wife and four children.