Palatine woman dies after fall from horse

Renee Alm truly enjoyed every aspect of her life at Palatine Stables.

Her husband of 36 years, Walter Alm, said the Palatine wife and mother of two grown daughters kept three horses at the Palatine Park District facility and typically went riding three times a week.

It was during one of her beloved rides Wednesday afternoon that Alm fell from a horse and died of cervical neck and spine injuries. She was 59.

“She was always enamored with the fact that Palatine was unique and had the facility,” Walter Alm said. “It was a second home to her.”

Palatine police responded at 12:37 p.m. Wednesday to Palatine Stables, located at Northwest Highway and Dundee Road. Officers found Alm not breathing and without a pulse, and did CPR until paramedics arrived. Alm was transported to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights and died at 1:28 p.m., police said.

Authorities and family members called Alm’s death a tragic accident.

Alm, who would have turned 60 on Saturday, celebrated last week with friends at a party. She enjoyed monthly dinners with other parents whose children attended St. Theresa School and Fremd High School in Palatine.

Most of all, Alm, who grew up in Harwood Heights and was a stay-at-home mother, looked forward to the upcoming birth of her first grandchild.

Walter Alm said he’ll remember his wife as a fun-loving person who always had a good time and made people laugh. Some of her closest friends were at Palatine Stable, where she learned to ride about 15 years ago when her daughter picked up the hobby.

“In a way, it’s nice to know she died doing something she absolutely loved,” he said.

Palatine Park District officials released a statement extending their condolences to the Alm family “in the wake of this tragic accident.” It stated that the park district reported Alm’s death to its risk management agency, which is investigating.

Retiring Executive Director Ron Gbur stressed that Palatine Stables, which opened in 1989 and had never experienced a fatality, is safe. Walter Alm agreed, and said his wife was well aware of the risk associated with riding horses.

“She knew you can never fully control a horse,” he said.