A 29-year-old software engineer, Angela Lin, tragically died earlier this month following an unusual accident in Yosemite National Park.
Lin, who had been employed at Salesforce for roughly six years, was hiking in the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias with her boyfriend and two friends on July 19.
In a startling incident, her boyfriend, David Hua, recalled hearing a loud crack overhead. Just moments later, large branches from a giant tree fell, striking Lin.
“One big branch hit Angela, and there were smaller branches right behind me,” Hua recounted.
As the branches fell, Hua closed his eyes instinctively, and when he opened them, he found Lin on the ground, bleeding around her head.
Hua immediately dialed 911 and began performing CPR, which he continued until park rangers arrived.
Although an ambulance eventually arrived, Lin didn’t survive the incident.
According to Hua, paramedics indicated that the branch likely caused her death instantly.
“I never thought this could happen, especially not on such a popular trail,” Hua expressed, visibly shaken.
About a week after Lin’s death, Tuolumne Grove was closed to visitors.
Scott Gediman, a spokesperson for Yosemite’s Public Service, mentioned to SFGATE that they are still investigating the incident.
Park officials haven’t yet responded to inquiries from the media.
Hua stated that Lin’s family has been unable to gather more information from the park service, which prompted them to reach out to the media for answers.
“We’re seeking information from Park Services about trail safety, tree maintenance, and preventing future incidents,” he said.
Other bystanders, affected by the tragedy, have also taken to Reddit, creating a post titled “Tuolumne Grove Incident 7/19,” hoping for any news about Lin’s condition.
“I was just a tourist, but witnessing something so tragic has really stuck with me,” one user shared.
They added, “It’s heartbreaking because they did nothing wrong… Life can be so cruel.”
Although accidents in Yosemite are uncommon, there have been several tragic incidents over the years.
Last summer, a college student lost her life after slipping during a storm on a popular hike, while another hiker was killed last October by falling trees on a different trail.
In 2015, two high school students were killed while sleeping in tents due to falling tree limbs.
In 2012, a concession worker died when a tree crashed into his tent during a storm.
Hua noted that Lin’s death was especially perplexing as she wasn’t camping beneath the tree and there was no wind that day.
“Angela was incredibly careful. She always stayed on the trail,” he remarked, stressing that incidents like this often involve riskier behavior.
Having been close to Lynn since their college days in Berkeley, he described her passing as a significant loss.
Ian Cook, who met Lin during their time at Berkeley, remembered her as someone who made friends quickly.
“Angela had a unique blend of confidence and humility that made everyone feel at ease around her,” Cook stated.
Richard Chang, who worked with Lin in her undergraduate lab, recalled her dedication, often staying late to meet deadlines and her thoughtful nature.
After earning her master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Lin worked as an engineer at Google in the Bay Area.
A spokesperson for Google expressed their sorrow over Lin’s tragic passing, stating, “We have lost a loved and respected member of our team. Our hearts go out to her family and friends.”
