Ontario woman scheduled to get married in a month dies while hiking at the Grand Canyon
An Ontario woman died while hiking in Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, one month before she was scheduled to get married.
The U.S. National Park Service received a report of a hiker in distress at approximately 5:50 p.m. on Thursday from the Bright Angel Trail above Three-Mile Resthouse.
"Soon thereafter the hiker became unresponsive and bystanders initiated CPR," the NPS said in a statement.
"National Park Service (NPS) search and rescue personnel responded and assisted with resuscitation efforts. All attempts to resuscitate the individual were unsuccessful."
The victim has been identified as Melanie Goodine, 41, from the Niagara Region.
A news release from the National Park Service said she was from Ottawa, Ont.; however, her fiancé Steven Spicer, later confirmed to CTV News Ottawa that the information provided by the NPS was a mistake.
“She didn’t live in Ottawa, but I think it’s because the police here, they couldn’t find Niagara Regional Police and they sent the paperwork to the Canadian Consulate,” Spicer, said.
Goodine was scheduled to be married next month, and wanted to do one more hike before getting married, according to her fiancé. Spicer described Goodine as silly and fun loving.
Melanie Goodine was scheduled to marry her fiancé Stephen Spicer next month. Goodine, 41, died while hiking in Arizona last Thursday. (Photo courtesy: Stephen Spicer)
Michelle Venneri says Goodine left an imprint on her soul.
"She radiated a warmth and possessed a pure, genuine nature," Venneri told CTV News Ottawa.
"Quite rare to find in this world these days. Our interactions were few and far between over the years … but her lasting impressions always left an imprint on my soul and I’m sure on many others in this world also."
The National Park Service says Goodine was hiking out of the canyon after hiking to the Colorado River earlier in the day.
The Coconino County Medical Examiner and the National Park Service are investigating the death.
"All visitors to Grand Canyon should ensure they are drinking plenty of fluids, resting in shade during the heat of the day, watching for signs of distress in travelling companions, and dressing appropriately for the weather, which includes light-colored and loose-fitting clothing," NPS said. "The NPS does not recommend hiking from the rim to the river and back in one day."
A spokesperson for the Grand Canyon National Park told CNN that shade temperatures in the area reached 35 C to 40 C on Thursday.
Correction
A previous version of this story identified the victim as an Ottawa woman, based on information provided by the U.S. National Park Service. That information was released in error, according to the victim's fiancé, who said she is from the Niagara Region of Ontario.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.