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Mother Of Four Fell 90-Feet To Her Death On Hiking Trip After An Attempt To Save 3-Year-Old Son, Who Fell Down Embankment

By Angelica N. Sumter
Published on: 06:26 PST, May 5, 2016

A 37-year-old mother of four children, who are between the ages of three and 13, fell 90-feet to her death while hiking on a trail at Horsetail Falls with her family when she tried to save her 3-year-old son Oliver, who fell down an embankment, according to Oregon Live. On May 1, Stephanie A. Cohen of Portland, Oregon was enjoying a day of hiking with her family when things suddenly went awry at approximately 5:20 p.m.

According to Cohen’s mother, Lisa Schroeder, Oliver stepped on a rock as they were hiking and his “foot began to wiggle.” Before they knew it, Oliver went down, but Cohen “did what she instinctively thought to do and that was to go after him.”

Both Cohen and her son initially fell 60-feet, but moments later they plummeted another 20 to 30-feet down a steep slope, along the Columbia River Gorge.

Oliver sustained serious injuries during the fall, but his mother sustained life-threatening injuries after trying to save her son and passed away before emergency services arrived at the scene.

However, Cohen’s best friend Danielle Dalbok, whose 13-year-old son was also on the hiking trip, stated that she didn’t die right away after trying to save her son from falling to his death. She said, “What makes it interesting is that she didn’t pass until she knew he [Oliver] was okay and that kind of, for me, says it all. She needed to see he was okay, and she sat up and saw him and laid back down and passed shortly thereafter.”

Dalbok later told reporters that “she was a devoted mother” who always put her children first. Cohen’s untimely death came as a shock to them all, considering it seemed like a normal day of hiking at the beginning until it turned tragic. Dalbok stated that before they arrived to Horsetail Falls, they made sandwiches. After their arrival, they ate and “did the normal, what they all do when they go hiking.”

Jayson Lewis, who was Cohen’s partner and had reportedly put Oliver down from carrying him on his shoulders just moments before the fatal accident, told reporters that he held her hand the entire time as she mumbled, “her son’s name over and over and over again. And she was able to just rest when she saw him and he was okay.”

According to KVAL, after paramedics arrived at Horsetail Falls following the incident, Oliver was transported by ambulance to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. His grandmother stated that he is expected to make a full recovery, and he would be able to return home from the hospital the following day.

However, according to Multnomah County Capt. Steve Alexander, paramedics tried desperately to revive Cohen after she was transported to the parking area at Horsetail Falls, but it was to no avail. Stephanie A. Cohen was pronounced dead at the scene.

Dalbok’s son stated that he considered her to be more than just his mom’s best friend. He went on to say that Cohen was like a “second mom,” who was “just infectious to anyone who knew her – she sparkled.”

“Stephanie loves her family, loved her family. That’s what is most important to her and her whole world.”

Schroeder added that her daughter gave her life to save her son’s, and “she was a shining star.” She went on to say that “even though she leaves four children motherless, we all plan to step up as a village and help raise those kids.”

Funeral arrangements for the Stephanie A. Cohen, who tried desperately to save her son before falling to her death, were held Wednesday, May 4. “Her family has requested donations to be made out in her name to the Bradley Angle House and the Raphael House, which both are nonprofits dedicated to assisting survivors of domestic violence.”

[Photo by Specner Platt/Getty Images]

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