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Press Release
Catherine Freer Wilderness Expeditions
June 21, 2002
A fifteen year old girl participating in the Catherine Freer of Nevada
program collapsed suddenly in the late afternoon of May 27th and was evacuated by helicopter to the hospital in Fallon. The girl, along
with a group of other teenagers and 3 program staff had just begun the backpacking portion of their program that morning. After hiking
approximately 3 miles they arrived at their campsite. The group set up camp and they were in the process of returning to the campsite,
after filling up water containers, when the young woman collapsed. Program staff called in, on satellite phone with global positioning
system coordinates, for evacuation assistance. The program staff performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation until the arrival of the search
and rescue ground crew and helicopter. The girl was pronounced dead by medical personnel upon arrival at the hospital. The incident
occurred near the Arc Dome Wilderness area. A definitive reason for the collapse is not known at this time. The initial coroner’s statement
is that there is no observable cause of death. The inquiry will be pending until results of the toxicology and pathology reports are
complete. The participant had a physical examination prior to starting in the program and had been cleared for participation in the
trip. The Catherine Freer program extends it deepest sympathy to the girl’s family.
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