A 41-year-old woman has died after pushing a fellow climber out of the way to save her when a massive ice column from a frozen Utah waterfall split, officials said.
The climber, identified by friends as Meg O’Neill, had been attempting to scale the frozen Raven Falls when a massive ice column split and fell in Indian Canyon Sunday, the Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office,
O’Neill managed to push a 21-year-old woman out of the way of falling ice, which officials wrote “probably saved her life.”
But O’Neill wound up crushed beneath “two huge blocks of ice,” resulting in her death.
A 34-year-old man who accompanied the two female climbers was severely injured after falling 40 feet.
The woman who survived was able to climb down the terrain and drive to Duchesne County to call 911 for help.
First responders who arrived on the scene summoned a helicopter to hoist the injured male climb and fly him to a hospital to be treated for serious injuries.
There was no immediate word on his condition Wednesday.
According to the sheriff’s office, it took firefighters, search and rescue teams, paramedics and volunteers about 30 hours to recover O’Neill’s body.
Officials hailed the 41-year-old as a “brave, outrageous woman who lost her life while saving another.”
Although the sheriff’s office has not named the victim, multiple friends and colleagues have identified her on social media and in interviews with local news outlets as 41-year-old O’Neill, from Salt Lake City.
O’Neill worked at Embark Outdoors, a nonprofit organization that inspires young refugee woman through outdoor sports.
Camille Fiducia, O’Neill’s colleague, described her to Fox 13 Now as the “heart and soul” of the program who dedicated her entire life to service.
Before joining Embark, she taught high school science at Utah International Charter School.
An avid outdoorswoman and climber, O’Neill had a vision to make outdoor activities more inclusive, Fiducia said.
“If all of us can be one-eighth what Meg’s attitude of service were, what a change that could be in our local community,” she added.
Embark Outdoors posted a message on its Instagram page honoring O’Neill.
“We have lost a dear friend, a hero, and our fearless leader,” the post read. “Our Meg was in a terrible accident while ice climbing in Duchesne County. In an act so true to Meg, she made sure the others on the ground were safe before she was killed by falling debris.”
Loved ones have created a Facebook page, titled “For Meg,” where friends have been sharing photos and fond memories of O’Neill.
“Meg was a force of nature and the world is a less fun, less sparkly, less lively place without her in it,” one user wrote.
Another chimed in: “She was a truly special person and spread so much enthusiasm and kindness. I want to be more like her. I hope she knew how much she changed the world around her for the better.”