WHAT’S BEING CLAIMED:
- An Oregon State University student died after falling from a scenic overlook along Highway 101 while taking pictures, the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office reported.
- The victim Michelle Casey, 21, was seriously injured when she slipped and fell while taking photographs at Neahkahnie Mountain.
- Her boyfriend reportedly told authorities that Casey landed on a tree, which stopped her fall, preventing her from falling directly into the Pacific Ocean.
An Oregon college student died after she fell 100 feet off the side of a mountain while taking photos over a barrier, the sheriff’s deputies reported.
On Sunday, Oregon State University student Michelle Casey and her boyfriend were at a viewpoint area of Neahkahnie Mountain on Highway 101 when she slipped and fell. The 21-year-old was taking pictures over a retaining wall, according to a statement from the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office.
IN a statement, her family described Casey as someone who “loved being outdoors and was at the beach — her favorite place — on Sunday.” They said she was “always active” and had a second-degree black belt in taekwondo, played volleyball and loved to work out.
The family also announced that Casey was an organ donor and that two people were able to receive her organs.
“Michelle always brought people together with her bubbly personality and loving, giving heart,” the statement said. She was a sophomore and pursuing a degree in kinesiology “because she wanted to help people.”
Oregon State University also issued a statement saying, “as a university community, we mourn at the loss of a community member — and certainly one so young as Michelle.”
This year alone, at least three people have already died from falls at the Grand Canyon. At least one of those who died was trying to take pictures of the view. In 2018, a couple taking a selfie at Yosemite National Park in California fell about 800 feet to their deaths.
Source: NBC News
