By Jerald Jimenez
Sep 25, 2023, 10:21 AM EDT
A tragic accident claimed the life of a hiker last Saturday in North Carolina, who fell about 150 feet from the overlook of Glassmine Falls, a waterfall located along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
According to authorities, rescuers went to the scene of the accident in which Nancy Sampson, 61, died, around noon on Saturday, after receiving an emergency call, the Charlotte Observer reported.
The Reems Creek Fire Department said in a statement that firefighters had to rappel down the steep cliff to reach the victim, but she was reported dead.
Additionally, a family member of the victim, who was with her at the time of the accident, remained at the scene and received help from volunteers from the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) of Western North Carolina.
A TIP volunteer went out of his way to support him at the point and help him get off the mountain and connect with friends who could support him after this “tragic loss,” since he lived in another state and was alone.
So far, authorities have not provided further details about what caused the fatal fall, but the National Park Service (NPS) said the investigation into the event was ongoing.
The agency noted that Glassmine Falls is difficult to spot on the other side of the valley from the viewpoint.
“Seeing the waterfall requires a bit of luck, however, as these ephemeral waterfalls only flow after periods of rain,” the NPS noted regarding Glassmine. “During drier weather, it will slow to a trickle or even dry up completely.”
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a highway that runs 755 kilometers through the Appalachian Mountains, from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, being the most visited unit of the National Park System since 1946, except four years.
With information from Fox News