Family mourns 20-year-old who fell, died at Grand Canyon while on mission trip

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (KTVK/KPHO/Gray News) - The family of a college student who slipped and fell 400 feet at the Grand Canyon says he died doing what he loved while on a mission trip with his church.

Abel Mejia’s family from North Carolina say the 20-year-old was on a mission trip with his church, visiting other churches in New Mexico and Arizona. His group decided to take a trip to the Grand Canyon on July 31, AZ Family reports.

That’s when family members say Mejia slipped and fell to his death during a Bible study.

“We are heartbroken. It’s like we have this hole in our heart,” said Mejia’s sister, Steffany.

The National Park Service says the 20-year-old fell from the Grand Canyon’s rim, about a quarter-mile west of the Pipe Creek overlook. His body was found 400 feet below the rim.

Mejia’s family says he was full of life and brought joy to everyone around him.

“It was hard,” Steffany said. “It’s like receiving a blow in your stomach, and you can’t breathe.”

“Knowing you couldn’t be there for him during the last moments, I think it’s probably one of the hardest things because he was my little brother,” said Mejia’s brother, Bryant.

Mejia was a freshman at Indiana Bible College. His university made a post on Facebook about his death, saying he was known for his warm smile and gentle spirit.

His four siblings say they all strived to be just like him.

“He loved to serve and loved God with all his heart,” said his brother, Joshua.

The park service says 10 people have died at the Grand Canyon this year, with an average of about 10 to 15 deaths there every year.

Joelle Baird, a public affairs officer for Grand Canyon National Park, says deadly falls are rare.

“In this specific area, this individual was hiking off trail which is a pretty commonplace occurrence for a lot of our visitors here,” Baird said.

Mejia’s family is holding onto their faith as they mourn.

“Knowing he passed doing what he loved and serving God with everything, it does bring comfort and peace to us, as difficult and tragic as this may seem,” Joshua said.

Mejia’s family says he was not on his phone during the fall and that his phone was found in his pocket. They say they are receiving a lot of support from their church and the community, which is helping them make it through.

A GoFundMe set up to help with Mejia’s funeral expenses has raised more than $30,000.

In the wake of incidents like this one, the park is encouraging visitors to keep at least six feet from the edge of the canyon.

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