Community mourns Grant Adamson

Friends and family are mourning the loss of Grant Adamson tonight.

The 55-year-old descendant of one of Malibu’s founding families died in a hot air balloon accident that left his wife Terry and daughters Lauren and Megan seriously injured.

The 65-year-old pilot was also injured.

The accident happened during their vacation in Switzerland Tuesday.
Swiss police said the hot-air balloon struck a power line and plummeted to the ground.

None of the survivors suffered head injuries, but they are being treated for life-threatening injuries. Relatives said Terry Adamson, a Pepperdine law professor, is being treated for internal bleeding. Their daughters Lauren and Meg underwent surgery related to back injuries and broken bones. The news came as a shock to their former classmates at Oaks Christian, Malibu High School and Pepperdine.

Grant Adamson is being remembered as a major supporter of Pepperdine University and Semester at Sea.

Adamson’s close friend Michael Segal issued the following statement:

“Grant was my friend since we met in the ninth grade in 1971, and he, his sister, Leslie, and my sister, Judy, traveled the world with Semester at Sea in 1978. In the more than 40 years that I knew Grant, he was always caring, kind and thoughtful, and I never once heard him say anything uncomplimentary about anyone. Grant loved his family; he made this world a better place; and I miss him.”

Family friend Lisa Cislo said, “Terry and Grant were so open with their love for one another. They were the cover story for the 2012 Valentine’s edition of The Malibu Times Magazine. A lot about their public life has been printed in the press, but as friends, we got to know them on a personal level and they are both role models and inspirations in every sense of the word. At a dinner party recently the question was “describe your perfect day.” He dreamed of Switzerland and they were so looking forward to this trip, they were continuing on to Iceland to do what they loved most, hike, and travel, and be with their daughters. Grant said his perfect day would be to be “anywhere with my family.” He died on his perfect day.”