Community Corner

Mentor Graduate Dies During Ski Trip Near U.S.-Canadian Border

Dr. Josh Bernot graduated from Mentor High in 2000 and had been living in British Columbia

A 2000 Mentor graduate died in late April during a hiking and skiing trip in Glacier National Park near the U.S.-Canada border.

Dr. Josh Bernot slipped on a cliff and fell down more than 50 feet, causing fatal injuries to his head, according to the Kelowna Daily Courier in British Columbia. Bernot had been on a two-day trip with a friend and was not wearing a helmet, according to the report.

Bernot, an optometrist, settled in Kelowna after earning his doctorate from the llinois College of Optometry in Chicago, where he met his wife, Kim. He loved skiing, bicycling, hiking and camping and part in mission trips to Mexico and Morocco to provide eye exams to the needy.

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Viewing hours for Bernot will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Brunner Sanden Deitrick Funeral Home & Cremation Center. His funeral service begins at 10 am. Friday at St. Bede The Venerable Catholic Church in Mentor.

View Bernot's obituary on Brunner Sanden Deitrick's website.

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"Because of our age I can honestly say he was my oldest friend," Michael Bernot, Josh's cousin wrote in an email. "He was both adventurous and an achiever during his 30 years, and I think he always knew he’d be OK as the result of any of his decisions."

Bernot played soccer during his time at Mentor High School, then went on to earn a degree from John Carroll University.

"A great memory that I think truly captures his essence is when he was living in Chicago at optometry school, he sold his car (an old Nissan Sentra) to take a trip to Germany for the World Cup matches in Munich," his cousin's email reads. "We all thought he was crazy, (but) he knew he’d be fine.

"The dude was pretty awesome like that.


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