Christina Davis Rasanen

October 30, 1985 – July 15, 2025

Christina Davis Rasanen, 39, ended her journey on this earth early Tuesday morning, July 15, 2025.

She is survived by her mother, Lisa Reddel-Dorsey, and stepfather, John Dorsey; her father, David Rasanen; her brother, Jackson Dorsey; her fiancé, Ryan Ghere; many extended family members and friends; and her beloved pets—cat, Tuna, and dog, Norman.

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Christina's healing light quickly spread across the world. She spent her early years up and down the East Coast with her aunt in Boston and her aunt, uncle, and cousins in New Hampshire. She loved going to the barn and, as an animal lover, found herself at home on a horse. Her character and spirit mirrored the image of the animals she loved—free, noble, caring, graceful, beautiful, and enigmatic. When she wasn't riding, Christina could be found buried in science books, playing Operation , or combing the shoreline for shells, starfish, and rocks—always with a smile.

In 1994, Christina and her mother moved west to South Dakota, where she spent her formative years in school and with her horse, Remy. Always on an adventure, her early life was filled with camping, hunting, and sports—experiences where her mom and stepdad watched her smile grow ever brighter.

Christina's bright, fun-loving, and free-spirited nature drew people to her effortlessly. In high school, she was the life of the party, adored by those who met her. Her unfiltered joy and compassion radiated into her relationships. And while her free spirit occasionally led to teenage mischief, she always prioritized the well-being of those around her.

When she was 16 years old, while babysitting her younger brother, he tripped and hit his head. Amid the chaos, Christina sprang into action, rushing him to the emergency room. That moment, chaotic as it was, revealed her innate ability to care for others—and the beginning of her journey as a healer.

This role as a caregiver carried through into her academic and professional life. After graduating from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2009 with degrees in Biology and Environmental Science, Christina's research in ecology took her to Michigan's Upper Peninsula and to Australia, where she applied her healing instincts to the natural world. These adventures ignited her spirit of wanderlust—one that would carry her to the ends of the earth and back.

Later, Christina shifted her focus from healing ecosystems to healing people. She moved to Red Lodge, Montana, where she served as a paramedic, EMT, and firefighter—saving lives and building community. One of the lives Christina saved from a heart attack, George Clow, became one of her closest friends and lights up whenever he talks about his angel and lifesaver. Outside of work, she snowboarded, hiked, backpacked, danced at concerts, sipped fine wine, played cards, and embraced the simple pleasures of life. In Red Lodge, she bought her first home and found her mountain community—a forever home marked by a tattoo of those mountains she carried with her.

Her healing journey continued when she moved to Portland, Oregon, to work in the cardiology department at OHSU. During this time, she studied for and was accepted into the Physician Assistant program at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. Despite the challenges of hybrid and remote coursework during the COVID-19 pandemic, Christina graduated in 2021.

She returned to Rapid City after graduation and began working at Black Hills Orthopedics, then later as an Emergency Room PA at Monument Health. There, she saved and prolonged countless lives with the same courage and compassion she had always shown.

Back in Rapid City, Christina began building a beautiful life with her fiancé, Ryan. The "yin" to each other's "yang," Christina brought adventure to Ryan's life, while he brought stability, care, openness, and unconditional love to hers. Together, they built not only a deep and joyful relationship but also a shared home—complete with Christina's favorite place, her greenhouse, where her plants continue to grow.

Though Christina's time on this earth was far too short, she truly lived a full and extraordinary life. She was an avid traveler and explorer, venturing to places like Thailand, Cambodia, the Bahamas, Vietnam, Singapore, Costa Rica, Mexico, Croatia, Bali, France, Australia, and Canada. She lived by her favorite saying— "Would've, could've, should've… happy I did." Christina never hesitated to chase adventure, whether it was hunting rocks in the backyard, flying across the country for a concert, or jetting off to explore a distant corner of the world.

Her central gift—her superpower—was healing. She healed everyone around her. Little did we know, she didn't save enough of that healing for herself. Shrouded in her beauty, Christina carried so much pain. Pain no one could see, or know the full extent of. That someone so devoted to healing others could not find peace for her own suffering is a truth that leaves us stunned and aching. When Christina left this plane of existence, she also left behind the pain she had carried for so long, unknowingly passing it to those who loved her. There's no equation to measure the pain we now carry, but it brings some comfort to know that Christina no longer carries it alone.

To lose Christina in this way—by suicide, without warning, without understanding—is a sorrow that defies explanation. Mental illness is not a sign of weakness; it is a disease that isolates, even in a room full of love and support. The pain she quietly lived with was unbearable and overwhelming. We know Christina loved deeply. We also know she came to believe, tragically, that we could live, love, forgive, and most importantly—heal—without her.

Christina was a rock for so many. It's no surprise that one of her favorite pastimes was rock hunting. She is still a rock for us—one we'll continue to find in the innumerable agates, gems, geodes, and minerals that surround us. As hard as it is to accept, we choose to honor her full story: her laughter and light, her fears and flaws, the pain and the healing, the beauty and the brokenness. We carry her forward in all of it, in all of us.

Christina will always be remembered by her many nicknames—"Dakota," "Nana," and "my beautiful girl," as her mother so lovingly called her. She is preceded in death by many close friends and family, most notably her spiritual partners, Dylan Shanks and her beloved dog, Kenya.

In honor of Christina's legacy as a healer, caregiver, and advocate for others, donations may be made to the Caring for Our Caregivers Fund through the Monument Health Foundation. This fund provides essential resources—such as counseling, respite care, and emergency assistance—to caregivers facing personal crises and mental health challenges. Christina gave her life to caring for others; this fund ensures that those who give so much are not left to suffer in silence. To donate in her memory, please visit the Monument Health Foundation and reference the Caring for Our Caregivers Fund .

We invite all who knew and loved Christina to join us for a Celebration of Life on Saturday, August 2, from 4–8 p.m. at Black Hills Receptions, 10400 W. Highway 44, Rapid City, SD 57702. This will be an open house-style gathering—come as you are, stay as long as you'd like, and help us honor Christina's life through stories, memories, and community.

How lucky are we to have had something that makes saying goodbye so hard?

Monument Health Foundation and reference the Caring for Our Caregivers Fund