A Utah teenager fell hundreds of feet to his death while stopping to take a photo with a friend at a scenic overlook, authorities said.
Authorities believe 19-year-old thrill-seeker Jonathan Fielding died Saturday in a hiking accident near Moonscape Overlook. KUTV reported.
Fielding, an avid photographer, and two friends went to take pictures near the edge of a cliff when Fielding lost his footing on the unstable ground and tried to find a better vantage point at the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. He said he had crossed the edge of the canyon. Station and family spoke.
Fielding recently moved from Missouri to the Beehive State where he started a new job.
“He found a huge group of friends and support,” family friend Connor Parry told the outlet. “He was a special kid, and it’s important to preserve that energy and the smile he brought to every conversation.”
his family said in his obituary Although his death was sudden, they say they take comfort in knowing he was “doing what he loved at the time of the accident.”
“He was taking photos with friends in the beautiful Utah wilderness he loved,” his family said.
The victim’s sister, Rebecca Fielding, said: told ABC4 He died instantly after falling from approximately 300 feet. After her brother’s death, she drove to Utah to see the site of her fall and found the cliffs to be “deceptive” because the ground looked solid but was actually fragile.
“The biggest thing we can do to support families is spread awareness about hiking safety. Even though so many people take risks and are just looking for the perfect shot or the perfect view. , it’s not worth anyone’s life,” she told the station.
“I don’t think a lot of people realize how dangerous these areas are. It’s so easy to slip and fall,” she also said.
According to his biography, Fielding grew up in Blue Springs, Missouri, competed in pole vaulting in high school, and earned the Eagle Scout designation while in the Boy Scouts.
As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he was dedicated to various community service projects.
“Jonathan was a fun-loving, intelligent young man who developed unique talents. He had big dreams and hopes that focused on sales,” his loved ones wrote in an online memorial. I wrote it in
“But more important than Jonathan’s dreams and plans for the future is that Jonathan was a good person. Jonathan truly cared about others.”
