A 40-year-old out on a hike with his fiancée's son is dead after a tragic accident.
Adrian Vanderklis was exploring Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon in Utah on Saturday, July 17, 2021. The two went out on their hike, but when they weren't back by 7 p.m., fiancée Shantell Dansie reported the two missing. From the bottom of the area, Dansie told authorities she could see her son crying but could not see Adrian.
Later, authorities would discover that the 9-year-old came down on his own after Vanderklis fell during the hike. The boy didn't see him fall but understood what had happened.
Adrian Vanderklis was hiking near Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon with his fiancée's 9-year-old son. The two were reported missing by fiancée Shantell Dansie after they failed to return. She traveled to the site, where she told authorities she could see her crying son, but not Vanderklis.
"The woman reported that she could see her son, who was crying, but that she could not see her fiancé, and that she hadn't seen him for 'several hours,'" the Utah County Sheriff's Office explained in a press release.
The sheriff's office dispatched Search and Rescue (SAR) volunteers, and a helicopter crew with the Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS) responded to the area.
Members of the search and rescue team discovered Vanderklis at about 7:45 p.m. on what they described as a "very steep, near vertical, slope about 1/3 of a mile west of Bridal Veil Falls at an elevation of about 5,800 feet." Volunteers made their way to Vanderklis and determined he did not survive the fall.
At that point, it became too dark to recover his body. Efforts resumed at 7 a.m. the following morning, and his body was recovered.
"While it is unclear exactly why Mr. Vanderklis fell, it is possible he stumbled, or slipped on loose material," authorities shared.
"Regardless, it appeared he was killed immediately as a result of the fall. While the boy was with him, he did not actually see Mr. Vanderklis fall."
A GoFundMe page has been started for Dansie and Vanderklis' three children, the youngest of whom is just 9 months old. "The family was in the middle of a move from eastern Utah, for employment reasons. This has not only left the family with the extra expenses for his final wishes but it has left them pretty much homeless. With the circumstances it may be a while for Shantell to be able to get back on her feet and to provide for the family fully," it reads.
"Adrian was a amazing father, friend and person who would help whoever he could. I am hoping that we as a community can now help his family through these next few hard months. Anything is very appreciated. Please keep the family in your prayers. "
