Photo: GoFundMe
Just days before an Illinois man was set to begin his career as a nurse, a fall at the Grand Canyon led to his death.
On Wednesday, July 3, rangers responded to reports that a visitor had climbed over a railing at Mather Point, then lost footing and fell approximately 500 feet, according to apress releasefrom the National Park Service. The park service confirmed the fall was fatal, and said an investigation is underway.
The victim was identified this week as 24-year-old Andrey Privin, according to theChicago Tribune.
TheNational Parks Travelerorganization reported that other park visitors claimed they saw Privin “toss his backpack to his intended landing spot, but did not realize that he was going to try to jump the gap” at Mather Point.
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A spokesperson for NorthShore University HealthSystem tells PEOPLE that Privin was set to begin a job Monday, July 9, as a registered nurse at Highland Park Hospital, where he had been working as a patient care technician.
Martha Sussman, a registered nurse at the hospital, told theDaily Heraldthat Privin’s death was a “huge loss.”
“He was very good with his patients, very dedicated. A very intelligent young man,” she said. “We were very lucky that he had decided to stay on with us after he graduated” from Loyola University in Chicago.
Sussman added, “This was a shock on many levels for us. He would have been a wonderful nurse. He was a wonderful friend. He was a good person, and it’s a huge loss.”
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AGoFundMe accountcreated to help Privin’s parents with funeral expenses surpassed its $12,000 goal.
Shedlowski toldMy Grand Canyon Parklast year that of the approximately 12 deaths at the sightseeing destination each year, on average, two to three of those deaths are from falls over the rim. Natural causes, medical issues, suicide, heat, drowning and traffic accidents typically account for the other deaths.
source: people.com
