Johnsburg High mourns graduate killed in snowmobile accident

Friends and classmates are mourning 17-year-old Mallori Papp.

The Johnsburg High School graduate from Pistakee Highlands died in a snowmobiling accident in central Wisconsin Friday afternoon.

“It's incredibly sad to lose such a quality young person as Mallori,” said Johnsburg High School Principal Kevin Shelton.

“She was one of those kids who, no matter where she was at, classroom, hallway, she just always had a positive effect on those she was around. Just a really incredibly nice kid.”

Juneau County Sheriff Brent H. Oleson said in a news release that Papp lost control of the snowmobile she was driving at 4:52 p.m. Friday on the Omaha snowmobile trail near the village of Hustler, northwest of Madison.

The county coroner, Kathy Kohutko, said Papp hit an embankment and suffered blunt force trauma to the chest.

Papp was pronounced dead shortly after 6 p.m. at Hess Memorial Hospital in Mauston, officials said.

Shelton said Papp had done what was necessary to gather the credits to be able to graduate early and begin her pursuit of a nursing career. She had also participated in the nursing classes at the high school.

He said she had played one year of soccer but was more attracted to sports like snowmobiling.

Shelton said that under these circumstances, the high school contacts its counselors and social workers and sets up a couple of areas for the students to visit if they need help or “a chance to decompress.”

Shelton said the school has had at least one death each year for the last five years.

Johnsburg student McKenzie Sobiesk said she knew Papp well in junior high school, where they were both cheerleaders.

“She would never give up on things,” she said. “She would always give her best effort. She was really sweet.”

Another Johnsburg student who knew her in junior high, Michael Dombrowski, also remembered her as a cheerleader for the basketball team.

“She always had a smile on her face,” he said. “Always had a great attitude toward everything. Fun to be around.”