Hiker Fatality on Abrams Falls Trail

Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers responded to a report of a woman in cardiac distress along the Abrams Falls Trail on Monday, June 15 at 1:09 p.m.  Diana Graves, age 67, of Chesterfield, VA, was hiking with her family when she experienced a cardiac event approximately 0.5 mile from the trailhead. Bystanders immediately performed CPR until Park Rangers arrived on scene. Park Rangers continued life-saving efforts, including the use of an AED, but the efforts were not successful and the patient was pronounced deceased at 1:43 p.m.

In addition to Park Rangers, emergency responders with American Medical Response (AMR) responded to the scene and transported the deceased to Blount Memorial Hospital. No additional details are available at this time.