Search and rescue teams recovered the bodies of a man and woman found this week near Angel Falls, near Yosemite National Park in central California, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Fox News Digital.
According to the sheriff’s office, the two were identified as Monica Ledesma, 34, and James Hall, 35, who were in a relationship.
Rescue crews first found Ledesma’s body on Wednesday after receiving a call about an unconscious woman in the water not far from Bass Lake.
Some of Hall’s belongings were found near Ledesma, and his body was soon recovered.
“James died a hero trying to save his girlfriend Monica,” a fundraising page set up for Hall’s family reads. “Sadly, they have both been taken from us.”
“This was probably the hardest day of our lives,” Hall’s mother said at the couple’s vigil, according to KFSN-TV, “but this day came for a reason, and I think it’s because of love.”
Nancy O’Hara, a friend of the couple, told the station: “They were kind and caring and looked after not only us old people but the young people too.”
Ledesma is the mother of an 8-year-old son and a 14-year-old daughter, her mother told the station.
“Our hearts go out to the families of those who lost their lives in Angel Falls today,” Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue said in a statement. “We thank our allies for the incredible assistance and response to today’s simultaneous and strained resources. We commend the efforts of our rescue and recovery teams, who performed their duties with diligence and respect.”
O’Hara added, “Monica and James were important here. They were important because they were family. No relatives except at heart. Kindness was something they all had in common, and they were role models.”
The sheriff’s office said areas near parking lots and trails, like Angel Falls, often give hikers a “false sense of security about the level of danger. Be especially careful when hiking near water. Rocks are very slippery even when dry. One wrong step can result in serious injury or death.”
The agency added: “The water is extremely swiftly moving and deathly cold. Just because the air temperature is warm does not mean the water is warm. Cold water quickly removes heat from the body and reduces the movement of your limbs. When visiting rivers and streams, people should always take precautions by wearing a life jacket, carrying a life jacket with them and following river and stream closure procedures.”
Police have not explained how Ledesma and Hall died.
