Tri-Cities native dies in 40-foot fall off popular Arizona trail
A Tri-Cities native with an adventurous spirit died after falling 40 feet from South Mountain’s Mormon Trail near Phoenix, Ariz., last weekend.
Gilbert “G” Garcia was 31 and living in Arizona but had plans to move back to the Pacific Northwest and to study cybersecurity, according to TV reports about the accident.
He’d grown up in Pasco and was working in Arizona as a high-performance automotive technician when he fell on a hike with his brother on June 5.
“Gilbert’s adventurous spirit, determination, unwavering faith, and deep love for his family and friends will forever be remembered,” his family wrote in his obituary.
Fatal hiking accident
His mother, Marie Ortiz, lives in Oregon and was at work when she heard he had fallen.
She told news outlets that she had talked to him on the phone not long before the accident.
“He was happy. He was ready. He said him and his brother were going to go hiking,” she told Arizona 12 News.
The Mormon Trail is a scenic hiking trail described as steep in places in the South Mountain Park and Preserve about 20 minutes from downtown Phoenix.
After the fall, his brother was able to call for help.
The Phoenix emergency crew members climbed down and were able to hoist him up so he could be flown by helicopter to a hospital. But he suffered severe injuries and didn’t survive, according to The Arizona Republic.
Fire officials told Arizona media that they don’t know the cause of the fall, but that the high temperatures typical in early summer may have contributed to the accident.
Family and friends in the Tri-Cities planned a hike up Badger Mountain in Richland to honor his memory and to raise awareness about safe hiking practices.
His family was able to raise money on GoFundMe to cover funeral expenses and the cost of returning him to the Tri-Cities.
Grew up Tri-Cities
Garcia was born in Kennewick and grew up in the Tri-Cities, earning his GED in Pasco.
He later received a degree in automotive technology from the Universal Technical Institute in Arizona along with an associate’s degree, according to his obituary.
After that, he spent 12 years working as a high-performance automotive technician, specializing in Audi, McLaren, Lamborghini, Porsche, and Ferrari.
He rose to the position of foreman at the Gilbert Audi dealership in Phoenix, but wanted to earn his cybersecurity certificate.
Ortiz said her only son loved the nature, reading and learning new things. Garcia had a passion for gaming and baseball.
When he was 13, he joined the Young Marines and played baseball for five years. After that, he practiced mixed martial arts
“He always tended to want to make sure that I was OK, and made me want to laugh every single day,” Ortiz told Arizona 12 News.
“Above all, he will be remembered for his contagious sense of humor, and his ability to bring laughter and joy to those around him,” said his family. He is also survived by his father, Alex Garcia and three siblings.
His funeral mass is Thursday, June 18, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Kennewick.
Mueller’s Tri-Cities Funeral Home, Kennewick, is handling his arrangements.
