20-year-old college student with ‘gentle spirit’ dies in 400-foot fall at Grand Canyon
A 20-year-old with a “gentle spirit” fell 400 feet into the Grand Canyon and died, park officials and his school said.
Abel Joseph Mejia, of Hickory, North Carolina, fell at about 10:40 a.m. July 31, near the Pipe Creek Overlook, the National Park Service said in a news release.
Officials said he was near the edge of the rim when he accidentally plunged hundreds of feet to his death.
The park is investigating the incident, and his body has been turned over to the medical examiner’s office.
Indiana Bible College said Mejia was a student at the school, according to an Aug. 1 Facebook post.
“He was known for his warm smile and gentle spirit, and his absence will be deeply felt by all who knew him,” the school said.
Mejia was on a mission trip before his deadly fall, Turning Point Pentecostal Church said in a Facebook post.
In 2023, over 4.7 million people visited the Grand Canyon National Park.
Park officials advise visitors to stay at least 6 feet from the edge of the canyon and to stay on pathways and trails for their safety.
