Boy who died on hike called happy, helpful

[fgoodwin]

Boy who died on hike called happy, helpful

 

http://www.modbee.com/local/story/216659.html

 

An autopsy is completed on 12-year-old Boy Scout

 

By EMILIE RAGUSO

eraguso@modbee.com

last updated: February 20, 2008 04:54:29 AM

 

The 12-year-old who died hiking during a Boy Scout trip at Yosemite National Park on Saturday was a "very, very happy little boy who always looked after his brothers and sisters and always helped his mom with the house," a family member said Tuesday.

 

The Stanislaus County coroner's office identified the boy as Luis Alberto Ramirez of Modesto. An autopsy was performed Tuesday afternoon, said Kristi Herr, interim chief at the coroner's office. Luis' cause of death likely will be classified as blunt force trauma, she said, the result of a fall of nearly 300 feet.

 

Luis was one of 10 children and five adults on the hiking trip, said Robert Dees, Scout executive of the Greater Yosemite Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Luis was a member of Troop 112, which is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

 

The trip was organized by the Boy Scouts, but the troop's members are also members of Modesto's 3rd Ward, the Mormon church on El Vista Avenue, said Patrick Rhoades, a church official.

 

The group was hiking near Upper Yosemite Fall when Luis and another boy fell about 300 feet, park spokeswoman Adrienne Freeman said. The accident occurred about 2:15 p.m. Saturday on Yosemite Falls Trail above Columbia Rock.

 

"They had somehow gotten off the trail," she said. "We won't know for a long time exactly what happened, but they very quickly encountered some very steep terrain."

 

[excerpted]

[Eamonn]

How very sad.

My heart goes out to his family, friends.

I will say a prayer for all the members of Troop

112.

I can't even imagine how the leaders must feel. Luis Alberto Ramirez is in gods hand.

May he and all the souls of the dearly departed rest in peace.

Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.

Eamonn.

 

[Hiromi]

I was part of a youth canoe trip down the Kickapoo River in Wisconsin in 1976.(Not Scouting)

 

A boy drowned and it really devastated the Adult in charge of the trip. He was a very popular gym teacher. He checked himself into the hospital for a nervous break down. He was never the same after that.

 

That expereince still remains fresh in my mind as a useful reminder of how quickly a youth outing can turn into disaster.

 

THe boy who drowned didn't know how to swim- and he did not wear his life jacket out of embarassment. (We were unsupervided when we decided to go into the river an tip over the girls intheir canoes).

 

He tried walking up the river with some other boys, lost his footing, (No buddy system) and he turned up a half hour later when a rescue dog pulled him up on a grassy island in the middle of the river. His belly was distended and he was bone white. He was pronounced dead on route to the hospital. It was horrible.

 

His mother had died the year before of cancer.

 

He was an only child. THe father was a portrait of devastation.

 

A shelter was erected as a memorial to him on the school grounds. It is no longer there.

 

Life is so fragile.

 

Pappy(This message has been edited by Pappy)

[Joni4TA]

Ouch... that is a horribly sad story

[scoutldr]

Another LDS fatality. A pattern, or just another unfortunate coincidence?

[shortridge]

Just what kind of "pattern" are you referring to? Are you making an accusation?

 

[[ EDITED: I just found the old threads, sorry. Never mind. Don't mean to rehash. ]]

 

 

ANY incident like this is "unfortunate," to put it extremely mildly. My prayers and thoughts go out to the boy's family and friends.

 

Hug your own children, or grandchildren, or nieces and nephews, close every day.(This message has been edited by shortridge)