3 Utahns drown on canyoneering trip in California

SALT LAKE CITY — The families of three Utahns are mourning after their loved ones drowned while canyoneering in California.

The three friends were hiking near the Seven Teacups area in Tulare County when the incident happened.

“He loved making moments special for people,” said Summerisa Bell Stevens, sister of one of the victims, David Bell.

Friendly to everybody

From spending time with his family to the outdoors with friends Stevens described her 48-year-old brother as a friend to everyone.

“I think that is where he thrived. There wasn’t anything that he wouldn’t do for anyone,” Stevens said.

That dedication extended to Bell’s community. Bell was co-founder of the Harrington Center for the Arts, a non-profit in America Fork, devoted to supporting creatives and the arts, and owner of Runtastic Events, the creative force behind several marathons held across Utah.

“He helped people achieve a goal and then feel the joy from that,” Valecia Green, Bell’s older sister said. “He loved being outside, (and) he felt like he connected with God outside.”

On Friday, Bell was in California with a group of 13 friends, They were canyoneering near the Seven Teacups area in Tulare County, about 80 miles northeast of Bakersfield.

“They had had a seamless beautiful day canyoneering together. They were actually at very the end of that experience,” Stevens said.

“The leader [of the group] had done this trip, I think she said 15 times, so it was just the very last four foot drop into a pool, a little pool,” Green said.

“From the top of the surface you wouldn’t have been able to tell that anything was wrong,” Stevens added.

Something went wrong

According to Stevens and Green, Bell’s dear friend Jeannine Skinner was the first to jump in. The group soon realized something was wrong.

“At first they didn’t understand what was going on,” Stevens said.

Skinner wasn’t surfacing and appeared to be caught in an undercurrent unable to get out. Their friend Peter On was nearby and dove in first help her. Bell, who was higher up, soon followed him in.

“There was a circular current that they think was caused by either a large log or a rock that was pushed into that area,” Stevens said. “Pete immediately jumped into the water to help Skinner. At one point he got out and he was able to get away from the current and extended his hand and she couldn’t reach it so he went back in to try to get her.”

Unfortunately, all three were caught in the current.

“It sounds like it was circular, they would come under and then come back up,” Green said.

“[Then] Dave was able to get himself out of the cycle at the same time that On went unconscious, but Dave saw that Skinner was still in the pattern, he went back and tried to get her out as well,” Stevens said.

All three lost consciousness. Their friends were able to pull them out within seven minutes and performed CPR for more than 20 minutes, doing everything they could, but it was too late.

“These are all really experienced people and one of them was a nurse practitioner,” Stevens said. “We’ve been able to get a little bit of closure by talking to the people there.”

Holding onto their faith

As loved ones process this tragedy, they’re clinging onto their faith.

“These are three amazing, amazing individuals that will be very missed by family, friends and the community at large,” Green said.

The three victims’ bodies were recovered on Saturday. They will be brought back to Utah for funeral services.

According to NBC affiliate KGET, the Tulare County Fire Department initially reported that a fourth person was injured, but Bell’s family says there was some confusion and no one else was hurt.

There is a a marathon that will be held at Mt. Nebo in honor of Bell, Skinner and On.

A *GoFundMe acccount has been set up for Bell, and another was set up for Skinner, to cover funeral expenses and to bring them back to Utah.

The friends of Bell, Skinner and On are asked to share their memories and stories by clicking here.

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