A 20-year-old American college student, Brook Cheuvront, was found dead on Sunday, September 22, 2024, after going missing during a solo hike on Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa.
Cheuvront, a University of North Carolina student at Chapel Hill, was in South Africa for an internship. On Saturday afternoon, she embarked on a solo hike, but her tracking app stopped updating shortly after she began the climb. Concerned friends reported her missing when they were unable to reach her.
South African National Parks (SANParks) reported that search operations started Saturday evening, with rangers and rescue teams sent to search the mountain’s challenging terrain. However, the search was halted later that night due to difficult conditions.
The next day, the efforts continued with assistance from a City of Cape Town helicopter, which ultimately located Cheuvront’s body on the slopes of the mountain near Devil’s Peak. SANParks also mentioned that the cause of death is under investigation, and the circumstances surrounding her death are still being reviewed.
Cheuvront’s family, based in Newland, North Carolina, is devastated by the news. Her father, Steve Cheuvront, expressed the depth of the family’s grief in a Facebook post, writing, “God help me and us.”
Friends and loved ones have since shared an outpouring of memories and tributes online, describing Cheuvront as “brilliant in every sense” and “a bright light to everyone she encountered.”
A sophomore at the University of North Carolina, Cheuvront received the prestigious Morehead-Cain Scholarship, which enabled her to pursue her passion for environmental justice and astrophysics. She was completing an internship at the University of Cape Town through the Justice Desk Africa program, where she worked to educate young boys on gender-based violence. The internship was one of many international opportunities Cheuvront had embraced through her scholarship, including working with Justice Desk Africa’s Ntsika ye Themba program.
Friends from her hometown of Newland and the University of North Carolina have expressed deep admiration, portraying her as a young woman filled with potential and commitment. One friend expressed gratitude for growing up alongside her, while another described her as selfless and kind.
While crime in the area has been a concern in the past, SANParks has denied that it played a role in Cheuvront’s death. They have released a statement pushing back on claims of increasing crime in Table Mountain National Park, citing that official statistics have shown a decrease in recent months. Nevertheless, visitors are encouraged to take precautions and avoid hiking alone.
Cheuvront’s passing has left a profound impact on those who knew her. Her contributions to the Justice Desk Africa program and her vibrant spirit will not be forgotten by the communities she touched in North Carolina and South Africa. The investigation into her death is ongoing, and an autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause.