‘Freak accident’ kills 21-year-old hiker who ‘knew the wilderness,’ CA family says

A hiker described by his family as a “seasoned” outdoorsman died over the weekend in a “freak accident” at Mission Trails Regional Park in San Diego.

“He knew the wilderness, but he probably slipped and then hit his head and died of a combination of head trauma and hypothermia,” Ben Lenail told Fox 5 about his 21-year-old son Max. “The best way to describe it is a freak accident.”

Lenail was last seen alive on Friday going for a run at the park, the San Diego Police Department said. He was reported missing on Saturday and the police asked for the public’s help in locating him.

Police said hikers found a body in the water Saturday afternoon, and firefighters and lifeguards helped with the recovery effort. Final identification of the body and cause of death will come from the medical examiner’s office.

Lenail’s mother Laurie Yoler told CBS8 that her son loved nature.

“He was a rock climber, he loved mountain biking, he loved hiking, he just loved being outside,” she said.

Yoler also said that she believes Lenail died while crossing the river.

“I believe at this point that he slipped going across the river and fell to his death,” she said.

Lenail was a pre-med student at Brown University and was planning to attend graduate school and study medicine, his father told NBC San Diego.

This story was originally published February 1, 2021 at 2:59 PM.