The family of Josué Baires Alfaro, a 22-year-old who died after plunging over Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park, is working to repatriate his body to El Salvador. Alfaro's mother, Maria Josefa Alfaro, who had previously lost her eldest son, is now mourning the death of her second-eldest child.
The family has stated that the "pain of this loss is impossible to put into words." They are currently fundraising to cover the costs of bringing Alfaro's body back to his home country so he can be "laid to rest with dignity" among loved ones.
According to a GoFundMe set up after his death, Alfaro was described as "full of life, full of dreams, and had so much ahead of him." The statement also noted his ability to "bring light into every room" and his caring nature that always made people laugh.
Witnesses at the scene described seeing emergency responders with a body bag on an off-road stretcher descending granite steps. Another account mentioned seeing a body recovery mission shortly after Alfaro fell.
A final photograph captured by another hiker showed Alfaro struggling in the water near the waterfall's edge, wearing a baseball cap. He was ultimately carried away by the powerful current despite his efforts to save himself.