Sister of 19 y/o who fell to his death in a Utah canyon pleads with risk-takers to be careful
HANKSVILLE, Utah (ABC4) — The sister of a 19-year-old boy who fell to his death near Moonscape Overlook Saturday is spreading awareness of hiking safety in her brother’s honor.
Jonathan Fielding, an avid photographer, was hiking with two friends when he stepped onto a ledge and lost his footing as it crumbled beneath him.
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His sister, Rebecca Fielding, said he died on impact approximately 300 feet down.
“No words truly capture who he was as a person. He was the most genuine, kind and loving person you’d ever meet,” Rebecca said. “His love knew no bounds. He just had so much endless love for anyone.”
Jonathan was working in Utah doing sales and came to love the state. She said at his memorial in Utah, across the country from his home state of Missouri, a line of people wrapped around the building and poured onto the street.
“He treated everyone like they were the most important person in the world. He affected the lives of so many,” Rebecca said.
When she heard the news, she said she drove alone to Utah to see the place where he died. She described the cliffs there as “deceiving,” saying they felt solid but when looked at from underneath are surprisingly thin and weak.
Authorities from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office said the area is not super popular, however it often attracts photographers. They said there are no barriers or safety ropes, increasing the danger of the cliffs.
While the GoFundMe account set up by family friends has exceeded its goal of $20,000, when asked how to help Rebecca focused on another, less conventional way that people could support her family.
“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,” she said. “It’s not worth your life, it’s not worth the grief and loss that your family and friends will feel, and it’s not worth the rescuer’s life.”
She said her brother always felt “invincible,” as he was a big risk-taker who never got hurt. She said she often reminded him to stay away from the edges, but he did not think he could fall or get hurt.
She is now asking people to spread the word and share his story with other adrenaline junkies in the hope that it could save lives.
“I want people to be aware of the dangers of hiking,” she said. “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.”
In addition to spreading the word, she asked anyone who knew Jonathan to share with his family the memories they have with him.
“Jonathan was the greatest guy I knew, I’ve said that a million times and I’ll say it a million more,” she said. “He left a Grand Canyon-sized impact on the world and that will never be forgotten.”
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