FINDING MEANING IN TRAGEDY Creating the NIKO Foundation By Outi Villet, 6-year member and Co-founder/Executive Director of the NIKO Foundation
Niko skinning up Mt. Rainier in the spring of 2017, one year before his accident. Photo by Matti Suokko.
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t was a cold February night in 2018. Snowflakes pummeled the windshield as we drove down the empty highway, the darkness pierced only by our headlights. We were both silent on our way to Alpental at Snoqualmie Pass. Feelings of dread, horror, and hope flashed through my mind at lightning speed. I ran through every possible scenario as I tried to make sense of what might lie ahead. Earlier that day, Matti and I had been skiing at Crystal Mountain, enjoying turns in the beautiful powder with our teenage children. Always responsible, Matti’s oldest son Niko texted his plans for the day in our native Finnish: “Me mennään treenille Alpentaaliin.” “We’ll go do some training at Alpental.” Just 18 years old, Niko Suokko was an outdoor enthusiast with countless hobbies: skiing, hiking, running, soccer, riding snowmobiles and motorcycles, and more. He began riding snowmobiles as an eager 10-year old boy, looking up to his father and developing a passion for backcountry motorsports. They would often dive into projects together, getting their hands dirty with everything from old motorcycles to cars.
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mountaineer | winter 2022
Niko’s curiosity and high-spiritedness often led him to new adventures. He would surprise family and friends with new challenges he had taken on, like the time he arranged to be a ski instructor at Snoqualmie. At 16, he participated in a halfmarathon without any dedicated training, earning fourteenth place in the men’s division out of 250 competitors. At 17, he took part in an off-road duathlon while visiting family in Finland, hopping on a bike he’d never ridden before the competition. He was also a surprisingly gentle soul, spending his less adrenaline-fueled moments writing, painting, and caring for his friends and younger siblings. His desire to be active was not driven by a need to impress others, but instead stemmed from the pure joy of experiencing something new. He was brimming with life, competitive and determined, with the potential to achieve anything he put his focus on. He also had a surprise waiting for him. Niko had received a letter of acceptance into Finland’s army’s special forces, the paratroopers, for his mandatory military service as a Finnish citizen. Only the toughest and the most talented individuals gain a spot in the program. He was going to be elated.
