September 27th 2023.
Mark DeBarr's death came as a shock to his family and friends. He had just celebrated his 41st wedding anniversary with his wife, Maureen, four days earlier on September 18, according to his Facebook page.
Tragically, DeBarr fell to his death while hiking in Hawaii's Kōkeʻe State Park, near the Waipo’o Falls. The Kaua‘i Police Department confirmed that he was found about 120 feet below the waterfall. Multiple agencies worked together to recover his body.
No foul play is suspected in DeBarr’s death, and his autopsy is pending. DeBarr's best friend of 48 years, Doug Brooker, shared photos of him in a Facebook post expressing ‘immense sadness’. Brooker wrote: "Mark passed after a tragic accident in Hawaii while on vacation with his family. This will leave a huge hole in the lives of all who knew Mark – he was an amazing guy and loved by so many."
Other friends of DeBarr also shared photos of him, honoring his memory and expressing how much he meant to them. Kristen Privett wrote: "Mark DeBarr, you better believe your legacy will live on. We were not ready to lose our Cruise Director, but you taught us family, friends, fun, good music, and spending time together are what life is all about."
The Waipo’o Falls Trail is rated ‘moderately challenging’ by AllTrails and takes roughly two hours to traverse. It is not known if DeBarr fell from the top of the waterfall or the trail.
DeBarr's death comes only a few months after a father-of-five, Gerardo Hernandez-Rodriguez, fell to his death in front of his family while hiking along the Columbia River Highway near Multnomah Falls in Oregon.
Volunteers with the grief counseling nonprofit Life Bridges and Visitor Aloha Society of Kauai are providing assistance to DeBarr’s family in the wake of the tragedy. As they grieve the loss of their beloved family member and friend, they can take comfort in his legacy of love and fellowship that will live on.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
