Eight Bells: Nick Nadalin

Nick Nadalin

Nicholas Dean Nadalin, 25, active with the 12-Meter fleet in the Newport, died March 16, 2025 in Portland, Maine.

Born in Providence in 1999, Nick was due on St. Patrick’s Day but arrived nearly two weeks late, on March 29. His early years were characterized by an obsessive love of fishing, a hobby enthusiastically encouraged by his grandfather Grumpy.

Nick’s first day on skis was 23 years ago at Yawgoo Valley, when his father Dean buckled him into his first pair of boots shortly before his third birthday. After a couple of runs Nick opted to spend the rest of the day in the Yawgoo sandbox, but the foundation of what would become his greatest love was laid.

He spent many happy days in Maine, skiing at Sunday River, and conquering their iconic run White Heat for the first time at age 4. As a teenager and young adult he skied big mountains from Alaska to the Alps, ultimately checking nearly 80 resorts off the running tally that he was still adding to the week before his death.

Nick was also a passionate sailor, beginning as a student, then a coach with the East Bay Sailing Foundation at the Bristol Yacht Club. He would continue to sail competitively through high school and for the rest of his young life.

Nick graduated from the Portsmouth Abbey School in 2017, where he formed many deep, lifelong friendships. He selected Montana State University based on its proximity to Bridger Bowl and Big Sky, and planned to study snow science. He applied himself diligently to his studies for several days until late September, when the first snow flew in the Bridger Range and his focus shifted to “mountain education.”

He joined the MSU freeride team and spent the next two winters traveling across the West to compete in International Freeskiers and Snowboarders (IFSA) events, eventually working his way up to multiple 4-star competitions, the last stop before the Freeride World Tour. That season, in which he finished 20th in the Americas, gave him the chance to compete against several of the skiers he grew up admiring, a thrill he never forgot.

When he wasn’t competing, he and his adventure partner traveled across the western U.S. and Canada creating ski content for their industry sponsors.

When the pandemic shut down the IFSA circuit, Nick returned to the East Coast and Bethel, Maine, where he worked as a ski instructor at Sunday River for two seasons, then as a Freeride coach at Gould Academy in Bethel this past season. Nick loved working with children, from beginners through young competitors, and was excited to return to Gould for the 2025-2026 winter season.

In the summer, Nick made his home in Rhode Island and for the past three seasons he worked on classic 12-meter yachts, including American Eagle, Weatherly, and Heritage, racing and taking guests out to enjoy Narragansett Bay. He was looking forward to returning to Newport for another great summer when his life was cut short.

Nick was witty, loving, kind and compassionate; as well as relentlessly optimistic, curious and clever. His desire for adventure knew no bounds, and he never encountered a dare that he did not want to take, an exotic food he wouldn’t eat, or a boundary he did not want to push.

He leaves behind a heartbroken family, including his mother Christy, father Dean, and sister Charlotte; grandparents Mary and Chuck Millard, and Ursula and Fran Ferrance; his aunt Cara Cromwell and cousins Maggie and Caroline Cromwell, as well as many more dear aunts, uncles, cousins and countless friends, struggling to find a way to fill the massive Nick-shaped hole in their hearts.

Memorial donations may be made in Nick’s name to the East Bay Sailing Foundation, Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association, Maine Adaptive, or any group that brings kids and outdoor adventure together. Memorial observances will be private.