MOAB, Utah — Tragedy struck southern Utah Friday when a teenage girl fell while hiking. The community is trying to pick up the pieces, and loved ones are remembering who she was and honoring her memory.
Zoe McKinney died Friday after falling off a cliff face while hiking in Moab.
“She was tiny, but she was mighty," said Marcy Mason.
"She was trying to be a model," added Marcy's daughter Iryss, a close friend and cheer teammate of Zoe's.
Zoe was a 17-year-old who was loved and full of life.
“[She was] somebody that the girls really looked up to. She was a senior, and she just had so much ambition and big plans ahead of her," said Rebecca Monceaux, whose daughter Avery Orton was on the Grand County High School cheer team with Zoe and a good friend. "All of the girls on her team and all of her friends in high school really looked up to her as somebody they could become one day."
“She was supporting us throughout,” Avery added.
Rebecca called her a “very loving friend — unconditionally loving friend.”
The Moab City Police Department said around 4 p.m., Zoe was hiking with friends on the Moab Rim Trail in the Kane Creek Canyon area when she slipped and fell about 30 feet down a "sheer rock face."
Her friends called 911 while trying to find a way to safely get down to where she landed, but they were unable to do so. A search and rescue team used climbing gear to rappel down to the location, where they found the teen deceased from her injuries.
The rescuers were able to recover her body after a two-hour process.
“Been a full last night of tears into today, just trying to process everything still... It’s a really tough loss for these girls,” said Rebecca. “She was like our team mom.”
“[Zoe] was there for everyone on the team and talked to us all the time, so we were just really close with everyone — especially her,” Avery said.
“She just had a big heart, and her boyfriend Lloyd was her whole world. She had big plans with him and made sure all the girls knew and had plans for a big wedding, to invite all the cheerleaders to be there," Marcy said. "She took a lot of freshmen under her wing and kind of helped them navigate what high school was going to be like."
Iryss was one of those freshmen, and she said she'll miss Zoe.
“She was working on getting her EMT license, because that’s all she wanted to do was help people,” Iryss said.
Zoe's friends say she was always trying to make a difference. But now, she won’t get to experience everything she had dreamt of.
“She showed me her prom dress. It was really cute and it was red and it was getting alterations,” said Iryss.
They hope people can live like Zoe did.
“Be kind to one another," Rebecca said.
"Remember tomorrow is never a promise," Marcy said, with Avery adding: "And to be strong throughout all your difficult times."
"I'm gonna wear her mascara every day," Iryss said with a smile.
“The school community is grieving with Zoe's family and will provide love and support in any way we can, including having therapists available at school on Monday,"
A statement from the Grand County School District said they will have therapists available at the school on Monday. Anyone in the community who needs someone over the weekend can also call the Four Corners Community Behavioral Health crisis line at 435-260-2919.
"Zoe was a remarkable student and we will honor her memory throughout the remainder of this senior year," the district's statement read.
Moab City Police Chief Jared Garcia expressed condolences Friday as the department announced the tragic news.
"We recognize the devastating impact the loss of a beloved young woman and friend has in this small community, but know that wonderful people of Moab will band together to support and comfort her family and friends at this time," Garcia wrote.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help her family. T-shirts are also being sold online that read "GCHS STRONG" with Zoe's name on a ribbon. Those who organized it say the proceeds will go to Zoe's family, and they also hope it will bring the community together.
