Ontario woman who died hiking in Grand Canyon described as enthusiastic adventurer
Weeks before her 42nd birthday, her marriage to the man of her dreams, and the start of a new life in Belize, Melanie Goodine went in search of one more adventure; a 32-kilometre hike from the ridge of the Grand Canyon to the Colorado River below and back.
With less than three miles to go, she died.
“It was something she had to do and I had to do it with her,” Stephen Spicer, Goodine’s fiancé said.
Hiking for hours in weather that hit 40 C along parts of the trail, Goodine became unresponsive just above the Three-Mile Resthouse of the Bright Angel Trail.
“She did get very tired on the last half-mile and somebody said they were going to call 911 and she said she wasn’t going to let anybody help her over [the ridge] unless it was me. She wouldn’t give up,” Spicer continued. “What happened happens instantly.”
Those who knew Goodine describe her as a kid at heart, someone who exuded joy and left those around her smiling
"She radiated a warmth and possessed a pure, genuine nature," Michelle 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."
Goodine and Spicer were to be married on July 15, just over a month after her 42nd birthday. The couple had already bought a property in Belize, with plans to move south and open a bar.
“It was just her. I’ve never met anybody who could compare to her,” Spicer said.
While hiking, Spicer says the couple spent their time thinking about their upcoming wedding, even playing the song that would be their first dance at the bottom of the trail.
“The song KIT was to be our wedding song. We played it three times in the bottom of the Grand Canyon,” he said.
Now, the band behind the song, Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker, says they’ll play a tribute to Goodine at their final performance in Toronto.
“I think it’s only fitting that Ash does an acoustic version of KIT in dedication to her memory,” Jason Parsons, one of the two artists behind USS said.
“It definitely strikes an emotional chord,” he added.
The Coconino County Medical Examiner and the U.S. 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."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
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.
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.
'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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.