A Utah teenager plunged hundreds of feet to his death when he stopped to take photos with buddies at a scenic overlook and fell over the edge, according to officials.
Thrill-seeking 19-year-old Jonathan Fielding died Saturday in what authorities believe was an accident while he was hiking near Moonscape Overlook, KUTV reported.
Fielding, an avid photographer, and two friends went to take pics near the edge of a cliff when Fielding lost his footing on shaky ground and went over the canyon edge as he attempted to find a better vantage point, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, per the station, and family said.
Fielding recently moved to Beehive State from Missouri where he began a new job.
“He found an enormous group of friends and a group of support,” family friend Connor Parry told the outlet. “He was a special kid, and it’s important to keep that energy and that smile he brought to every conversation.”
His family said in his obituary that while his death was sudden, they are taking comfort in knowing he was “doing what he loved at the time of the accident.”
“He was on a photoshoot with friends in the beautiful Utah wilderness where he loved to be,” the family said.
Rebecca Fielding, the victim’s sister, told ABC 4 he was instantly killed after dropping about 300 feet. She drove to Utah following her brother’s death to see the spot where he fell and noted the cliffs were “deceiving” because while the ground appeared sturdy — but is actually flimsy.
“The biggest thing that can be done to support my family is to spread awareness about hiking safety. So many people take risks, so many people just want that perfect shot, that perfect view, but it is not worth anyone’s life,” she told the station.
“I don’t think a lot of people realize just how dangerous those areas are, it is just so easy to just slip and fall,” she also said.
Fielding grew up in Blue Springs, Missouri where he competed in pole vault in high school and earned the title of Eagle Scout while in the Boy Scouts, according to his obit.
As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he was dedicated to various community service projects.
“Jonathan was a fun-loving, intelligent young man that had developed some unique talents. He had big dreams and hopes focused on sales,” his loved ones wrote in the online tribute.
“More important than his dreams and future plans, however, Jonathan was a good person. Jonathan truly cared about others.”