Family Finds Peace After Loss of Canadian Mountaineer Kalie McCrystal
The family of the elite skyrunner says she died doing what made her feel most alive while attempting a record on the Matterhorn.
The family of Kalie McCrystal, a renowned Canadian mountaineer and member of the Athletics Canada National Team, believes she fell while descending the Matterhorn in the Alps.
According to reporting from CBC, McCrystal, a resident of Squamish, B.C., went missing on September 1 while attempting to break a mountain-running record on the 4,481-metre-tall peak located along the border of Italy and Switzerland. Following an extensive search, her mother and sister released a statement via B.C. provincial legislator Amelia Boultbee, a friend of McCrystal, noting that while the outcome is difficult to accept, they find peace knowing McCrystal was doing what made her feel most alive in her final moments.
The family's statement describes McCrystal as a special person who approached life with determination and fun, noting that she "remains among the mountains where she felt most at home." They expressed gratitude toward search and rescue crews and the global community of friends and loved ones who mobilized to find her. The family noted that her absence will leave a significant void within the Squamish community and the world of skyrunning.