Young woman dies, parents critical after deadly hike in Snow Canyon
Jul 15, 2024, 9:58 PM | Updated: Jul 16, 2024, 5:52 am
SALT LAKE CITY — A deadly weekend for hikers in Utah has left three people dead in less than 48 hours.
On Friday, a father and daughter died of heat exhaustion in Canyonlands National Park. The following day, temperatures soared past 110 degrees at Snow Canyon State Park, claiming the life of a young woman and leaving her parents in critical condition.
Belyruth Ordonez, a 30-year-old woman who moved to Utah for the church community, tragically lost her life during a family hike in Snow Canyon on Saturday. The extreme heat proved fatal, and her parents, Dario and Humbelina, are now in critical condition.
“She was just trying to have a good time with her family,” said Marlon Olaya, a close friend. “It was just really hard to believe.”
Belyruth Ordonez was known for her willingness to serve others.
“She was always very welcoming, very humble, very happy and always putting others first,” said Yeraoldine Calderon, a close friend of the family.
Ordonez moved to Utah for the close-knit church community, where deep bonds turned her friends into family. Tragically, her life was cut short on a day meant for family bonding. Rescuers found Dario and Humbelina in distress shortly after a hiker discovered Belyruth’s body nearby.
“We were in shock. I was in disbelief,” Calderon and Olaya shared, reflecting on the sudden loss.
The devastating news has left loved ones grappling with the painful uncertainty of Ordonez’s final moments.
“I feel like my imagination has created this scenario, a really hard scenario to picture,” Olaya said.
The community’s focus is now on praying for Ordonez’s parents, who are fighting for their lives while also facing the unimaginable grief of losing their only child.
“One of Belyruth’s fears was to leave her parents alone and not be able to be there for them,” Calderon and Olaya said.
Friends and close community members are now asking for support to help cover funeral and medical expenses.*
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