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A young Utah woman is the only survivor of a family of six after her three brothers, mother and beloved firefighter father were swept away in flash flood waters while on a hike.
Capt. Spencer Long, 59, his wife and their three sons were swept away after catastrophic rains struck Wayne County on Friday, causing deadly flooding. Only their daughter, Lydia, survived, according to a GoFundMe set up by a family friend.
Her survival was the work of fate — she wasn't on the hiking trip with the rest of her family when tragedy struck.
The family was reported missing on Friday after they went hiking and canyoneering near the town of Bicknell, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office said. Bicknell is a tiny town in the middle of the state and is surrounded by national and state parks. It's about 205 miles south of Salt Lake City. It comes after a father suffered the 'worst death imaginable' in Utah cave.
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As the family hiked, severe thunderstorms formed suddenly and dumped massive amounts of rain on the region over a short period.
That evening, deputies discovered the bodies of three members of the group, including Capt. Long, in a wash after responding to a call at Sunglow Campground, which is located near a steep box canyon at an elevation of about 7,200 feet near Capitol Reef National Park.
The other two bodies were found on Saturday morning, officials told local news outlets.
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Capt. Long was a member of the Provo Firefighters Union, which said its wildland rapid extraction team was called away from tackling a nearby wildfire in Blanding "to assist/aid in efforts of the current situation involving one of our own," a Saturday Instagram Post reads.
The Provo Fire & Rescue changed its Facebook profile photo to one featuring a black bar across its emblem, which is a mourning band, before it confirmed the news of Long's passing on Saturday evening.
"We are absolutely heartbroken by the death of Captain Spencer Long and his family," Provo Fire & Rescue wrote. "Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time."
"Out of respect for the family and the ongoing official process, we will not be commenting further at this time," the statement continued. The deceased were identified as: Long; his wife, Katrina; and their sons, Gage, Reid and Thayne.
Katrina Long was the co-founder of Summit Medical Spa and a former councilmember for Mona City, where officials also paid tribute to the fallen family. Mona is a small municipality located about 34 miles south of Provo, which itself is about 45 miles south of Salt Lake City.
"Katrina dedicated countless hours of service to our community, and her kindness, leadership, and commitment made a lasting impact on so many lives. We will forever be grateful for all that Katrina and her family have done to support and strengthen our community,” the city told ABC4.
The GoFundMe that was established for Lydia has already reached its goal of $100,000 — it did so in a day. It was subsequently raised to $200,000, and it's at $167,000 as of early Sunday afternoon.
"No amount of money can replace the family Lydia has lost, but together we can help ease some of the burdens she now carries. Every donation, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference and remind her that she is surrounded by a caring community," the fundraiser reads.
