110 degree temperatures took the life of Jessica, a mother of four, on the same hiking trail where her husband proposed.
A mother of four has died while hiking along the same path where her husband proposed to her. Jessica Lindstrom went missing after heading to Deem Hills Recreation area where she began to hike at 8:30 am. Nine hours later she was reported missing and police later recovered the woman’s body after a five-hour search. Early suggestions point that Lindstrom’s death was heat related.
Arizona, the state where the woman went missing and ultimately passed away, has been one of the several Southwestern and Southern states getting slammed with a historic heatwave. According to Politico, July for Arizonans never had a day that was under 110 degrees. The struggle faced by Arizona residents can also be felt by those in states such as Texas, Louisiana, and Florida.
The medical examiner from Maricopa County Office will ultimately determine Lindstrom’s cause of death but the examiner did state that Lindstrom’s origins in Oregon might have impacted her body’s response to the extreme heat.
The woman’s death currently does not have suspicion of foul play–making this a tragic story of what can happen to those who decide to brave the extreme heat. The Mayo Clinic says that many factors can contribute to heat-related deaths such as age, exertion and center medications used to treat a variety of ailments.
Lindstrom’s husband, Daniel Holland Lindstrom, shared a post to Facebook expressing his gratitude to all of those who put their efforts into trying to bring his wife back home.
“I am so deeply touched by all the outpouring of love and support for me and my family under these difficult circumstances,” his post began. “All those who knew Jessica can attest that she was devoted to anything she put her mind to. She was a very loyal friend and kind to everyone she came in contact with. I was head over heels when we started dating and [k]new right away she was the one,” he wrote.
“Coincidentally, I proposed to her at Deem Hills, where she ultimately succumbed to death. So eternally grateful that she said ‘YES’ and gave me a chance,” he continued, adding, “I married my best friend and into the most amazing family!…Me and my boys are deeply saddened but we feel the love from everyone so abundantly. I know the pain will eventually pass as we navigate through [our] new normal.”
Sources
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/us/heat-wave-map-tracker.html
https://people.com/oregon-mom-of-four-died-on-same-trail-that-husband-proposed-on-7574428
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/08/09/phoenix-heat-wave-republicans-00110325
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heat-stroke/symptoms-causes/syc-20353581
