By Tim Gardner
A 20-year-old female from Avery County has been found dead after vanishing during a hike to Devil’s Peak on Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, officials say.
The body of Brook Cheuvront–an Avery County High School graduate who was a student at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill since the start of the 2022-23 school year– was recovered on Sunday, September 22. Cheuvront was reported missing the day before (Saturday, September 21) as she could not be contacted after a tracking app she was using stopped updating and she didn’t answer her cellphone.
An initial search for her was conducted by rangers, wilderness search and rescue members, and trail runners until late Saturday evening when it was no longer practical for a search to continue, officials said. An aircraft joined the search the next day and a search group then found Cheuvront. Her body was reportedly flown out of the Table Mountain area on a helicopter.
Some news agencies reported that Cheuvront is believed to have fallen from a rocky cliff, causing her death. However, the cause is still unclear and is under investigation, according to South African authorities.
“She was recovered, we are devastated. God help me and us (the rest of Brook’s family),” Steve Cheuvront, the victim’s father, wrote in a Facebook social media post.
He also posted that she went hiking at noon South African time and was supposed to return at 6:30 p.m. and that the search for her resumed at 6:00 a.m. South African time (midnight United States Eastern Standard Time) on Sunday.
The University of North Carolina sophomore was interning at the University of Cape Town, and besides being a Morehead-Cain scholar, she was the Class of 2022 valedictorian at Avery County High School, where she also participated in various clubs and sports. Additionally, she was an Avery High Scholar Athlete of The Year.
Her mother, April, Cheuvront teaches at the high school.
“One of our teachers tragically lost a loved one,” Avery High principal, Jennifer O’Briant, wrote on Facebook. “We will have counselors and pastors present at school for students who may need support. If students feel led to, please wear blue in support of the Cheuvront family.”
Many have also put a round blank insignia in Carolina Blue (the University of North Carolina’s sports teams’ primary color) on their Facebook page in beloved memory of Brook Cheuvront.
There was a prayer gathering for the Cheuvront family on Sunday afternoon at Avery County High School.
Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town. It is a major tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to its peak. Table Mountain National Park is the most visited national park in South Africa, attracting 4.2 million people every year for various activities. Table Mountain is 3,558 feet in elevation and has a large variety of different, often steep and rocky pathways which requires preparation to hike and those doing so to be in good physical condition, and have the needed equipment with them when hiking such as a cellphone and water.
South African authorities have urged people to avoid hiking on their own on Table Mountain, suggesting it should be done in groups of at least four people due to the rugged terrain and high drop-offs that can be dangerous in the dark or in case of a sudden change from good to inclement weather, reports of criminal activity happening often in and around the mountain and its national parks, as well as the presence of many highly venomous snakes there such as black and green mambas, puff adders, and various species of cobras, some of which can also spit their venom besides injecting it through their fangs.
There hasn’t yet been an announcement of a specific date, time, or place for a local memorial service for Miss Cheuvront. But Steve and April Cheuvront have said that they hope to have a scholarship fund at Avery County High School established to honor Brook and her memory.
You must be logged in to post a comment.