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Derek Graves, of Chesterfield, died in a snowmobile crash around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, according to the Northwestern District Attorney's Office.
An avid snowmobiler, Graves, who also has ties to Northampton, crashed near Smith Road in Chesterfield. Emergency responders performed CPR at the scene, and paramedics rushed him to Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, where he later died, the DA's office said.
Tributes have poured in on social media since news of his death spread.
Friend Kelsey Gunn captured the community’s grief, saying, "Our village is broken."
Our village is broken, and one of us is no longer here. We lost a father, a son, a brother, a partner, a right hand man, and a friend. Nothing will ever be the same. Some of my most beloved and cherished people are hurting in ways words can't hold weight too. The void this has left is empty and deep. And it is a harsh reminder how precious life is and how quickly it can all change. Tell the people you love how much they mean to you and hold them tight.
Graves, an electrician by trade, was especially remembered for his deep love for his young daughters and long-time partner. Friends noted he was a talented archer who excelled at any sport he tried.
Megan Little posted on Facebook that Graves never overlooked the small but meaningful moments.
"He was almost always at every [dance class for his girls]," she wrote. "Now often, he was the only dad in the studio. But he didn't care at all. He seemed to know the importance of showing up. Yes, he was tired, and yes, it was just practice, but you could tell it mattered to him. He knew the importance of being there."
Others emphasized that his friends and loved ones should support one another in the wake of his loss—because that’s what Derek would have done.
"This is an unimaginable tragedy, and I can't believe we're living this nightmare," Alysha Langdon posted on social media. "... Thinking of everyone going through this, and we need to stick together. Derek, you were one of the best people I've ever known."
The cause of the crash that killed Graves remains under investigation.
The family had not announced funeral arrangements at the time of publication.
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