Found Deceased NH - Hiker Emily Sotelo, from MA, dropped off in Franconia, Lafayette trailhead, Hiking Mounts Lafayette, Haystack & Flume, 20 Nov 2022

[Hap]

Emily Sotelo Obituary

Share Memories of Emily & Support the Sotelo Family

memorials.blakefuneralhome.com

A beautiful obituary for this beautiful soul gone too soon.

"An aspiring doctor, avid writer, recipient of the Scholastic Award, French horn player, All State Festival participant, brilliant mathematician, program director of the reminiscence therapy project at Bridges by EPOCH, Dean's List for two semesters at College of William and Mary, and a leader at several clubs at Vanderbilt University."

"In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the volunteers who risked their lives to bring her back.
The Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team (PVSART)
www.pemisar.org
Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue (AVSAR)
avsarnh.org
New England K-9 Search & Rescue
www.nek9sar.org
Upper Valley Wilderness Response Team
uvwrt.wordpress.com
Mountain Rescue Service
nhmrs.org
Lakes Region Search & Rescue
www.lrsar.org"

 

[Alethea]

Emily Sotelo Obituary

Share Memories of Emily & Support the Sotelo Family

memorials.blakefuneralhome.com

A beautiful obituary for this beautiful soul gone too soon.

"An aspiring doctor, avid writer, recipient of the Scholastic Award, French horn player, All State Festival participant, brilliant mathematician, program director of the reminiscence therapy project at Bridges by EPOCH, Dean's List for two semesters at College of William and Mary, and a leader at several clubs at Vanderbilt University."

"In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the volunteers who risked their lives to bring her back.
The Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team (PVSART)
www.pemisar.org
Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue (AVSAR)
avsarnh.org
New England K-9 Search & Rescue
www.nek9sar.org
Upper Valley Wilderness Response Team
uvwrt.wordpress.com
Mountain Rescue Service
nhmrs.org
Lakes Region Search & Rescue
www.lrsar.org"

Now that is unbelievably kind and considerate. I can't imagine what her parents are going through. I am glad they are using their tragedy to warn other hikers and give back to our very small communities who do so much dangerous work in the service of others.

It is one of those cruel things about life where you can look to one moment in time where if you made a slightly different decision, everything would be different. I'm sure we all have our own private moments like that. I'm sure her mom will think about driving up 93 that morning for the rest of her life. Just gut wrenching, really.

 

[Tower]

Emily Sotelo Obituary

Share Memories of Emily & Support the Sotelo Family

memorials.blakefuneralhome.com

A beautiful obituary for this beautiful soul gone too soon.

"An aspiring doctor, avid writer, recipient of the Scholastic Award, French horn player, All State Festival participant, brilliant mathematician, program director of the reminiscence therapy project at Bridges by EPOCH, Dean's List for two semesters at College of William and Mary, and a leader at several clubs at Vanderbilt University."

"In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the volunteers who risked their lives to bring her back.
The Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team (PVSART)
www.pemisar.org
Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue (AVSAR)
avsarnh.org
New England K-9 Search & Rescue
www.nek9sar.org
Upper Valley Wilderness Response Team
uvwrt.wordpress.com
Mountain Rescue Service
nhmrs.org
Lakes Region Search & Rescue
www.lrsar.org"

The family’s acknowledgment of SAR really hit me hard. Rest in peace, adventurous girl. As sad as this case is, I hope I die doing something I love.

 

[MissMYB]

Beautiful tributes on her obituary. As a mom of a young woman this loss tugs hard at my heart strings.

 

[Alethea]

WMUR has a more detailed account of what happened to Emily, including an interview with her family. It is a different kind of heartbreaking in a way since it sounds like her parents feel like they all knew better but they gave in this time and now everything has changed.

From the article:

The name her parents are considering for a nonprofit foundation in her memory includes both a recurring theme of her life and the lessons of her death: The Emily M. Sotelo Safety and Persistence Foundation.

"Emily had a lot of persistence, but you have to balance that with safety," her father, Jorge Sotelo, told The Associated Press. "You have to run one day to fight another day."

19-year-old hiker who died in New Hampshire remembered as caring, determined

Emily Sotelo's mother said her daughter was determined to make the world a better place.

www.wmur.com

 

[Tower]

WMUR has a more detailed account of what happened to Emily, including an interview with her family. It is a different kind of heartbreaking in a way since it sounds like her parents feel like they all knew better but they gave in this time and now everything has changed.

From the article:

The name her parents are considering for a nonprofit foundation in her memory includes both a recurring theme of her life and the lessons of her death: The Emily M. Sotelo Safety and Persistence Foundation.

"Emily had a lot of persistence, but you have to balance that with safety," her father, Jorge Sotelo, told The Associated Press. "You have to run one day to fight another day."

19-year-old hiker who died in New Hampshire remembered as caring, determined

Emily Sotelo's mother said her daughter was determined to make the world a better place.

www.wmur.com

Thank you for posting. More details and still so very sad.

 

[MsMarple]

WMUR has a more detailed account of what happened to Emily, including an interview with her family. It is a different kind of heartbreaking in a way since it sounds like her parents feel like they all knew better but they gave in this time and now everything has changed.

From the article:

The name her parents are considering for a nonprofit foundation in her memory includes both a recurring theme of her life and the lessons of her death: The Emily M. Sotelo Safety and Persistence Foundation.

"Emily had a lot of persistence, but you have to balance that with safety," her father, Jorge Sotelo, told The Associated Press. "You have to run one day to fight another day."

19-year-old hiker who died in New Hampshire remembered as caring, determined

Emily Sotelo's mother said her daughter was determined to make the world a better place.

www.wmur.com

It's sad and frustrating to know a beautiful young woman with a quick mind and warm heart won't be fulfilling her dreams to help others and make the world a better place. Hopefully Emily's legacy foundation will guide aspiring hikers to recognize that balance between persistence and safety and make wise choices.

From your link:
According to Kneeland, Sotelo wasn't carrying any of the essentials that officials recommend for day hikes, even in the summer. No map, compass, or matches. No flashlight or headlamp, though her parents said she used her phone as a light and had a backup battery pack.

In her pack, she had granola bars, a banana and water that likely froze very early on, Kneeland said. She wore long underwear but only light pants and a jacket. She had heated gloves and a neck warmer but no hat. Her shoes were for trail running or trekking rather than insulated boots that are recommended for winter.

"I often refer to them as a glorified sneaker," Kneeland said. "Low on the ankle, no ankle support. Probably what happened is, when you start postholing in snow and underbrush, they get pulled off."

In late fall and early winter, it's not unusual for hikers from southern New England to arrive in New Hampshire unprepared for snow-capped summits, Kneeland said. Sotelo's story, he said, is a reminder to other hikers to not only be prepared, but to be ready to turn back.