Teen dies after falling 300ft into canyon while taking photos with friends on edge of cliff
The victim's family have called for greater attention to hiker safety
A teenager has fallen to his death after attempting to move into a better position while taking photos on a cliff’s edge.
19-year-old Jonathan Fielding, from Missouri, died in an unfortunate accident on January 27.
His family have said they have taken comfort knowing that Jonathan died doing what he loved, which was taking photographs in the Utah wilderness.
Jonathan, an avid photographer, was with hiking with friends near Moonscape Overlook when he stopped to take some pictures.
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After losing his footing, he fell into the canyon, according to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.
“He found an enormous group of friends and a group of support,” family friend Connor Parry told the New York Post.
“He was a special kid, and it’s important to keep that energy and that smile he brought to every conversation.”
Jonathan’s family have released his obituary and continued to praise the young man for his character.
“Jonathan was a fun-loving, intelligent young man that had developed some unique talents. He had big dreams and hopes focused on sales. More important than his dreams and future plans, however, Jonathan was a good person,” the obituary read.
“Jonathan truly cared about others. He would genuinely listen to you. He was truly a friend in every sense of the word. He had many friends and was an influence for good. He was always kind to others. He would often notice those that needed help and offered them assistance and encouragement.”
His family has also said they hope to bring attention to the importance of hiking safety.
Jonathan’s sister, Rebecca Fielding, told ABC 4 that her brother died instantly after falling around 300 feet.
Officials have ruled Jonathan’s death as accidental and emphasized that the group was not canyoneering at the time of the incident.
She also said she went to the location where her brother had died and noted the cliffs were deceiving because they were not as sturdy as they appeared.
“The biggest thing that can be done to support my family is to spread awareness about hiking safety. So many people take risks, so many people just want that perfect shot, that perfect view, but it is not worth anyone’s life,” Rebecca added.
“I don’t think a lot of people realize just how dangerous those areas are, it is just so easy to just slip and fall.”
The family have also set up a GoFundMe to help pay for funeral costs.
Gerrard Kaonga