Brooke Walker remembered by coach as athletic and funny

A 16-year-old is being remembered after her tragic death during a hike in Zoar Valley.

HOMEPAGE.NEXT TONIGHT,A WEEKEND HIKETURNED INTOHEARTBREAK FOR THEFAMILY OF ASPRINGVILLE TEEN.STAR ATHLETE 16-YEAR OLD BROOKEWALKER ... LOST HERLIFE AFTER SHE FELLFROM A STEEP LEDGEIN ZOAR VALLEY.TONIGHT ALI TOUHEYIS GOING IN DEPTHAND LEARNING MOREABOUT THIS TALENTEDGIRL -- ANDTHE TRAGIC HISTORYTIED TO THIS SECTIONOF THE SOUTHERNTIER..SPRINGVILLE TEENREMEMBERED ASTALENTED, SMART,ATHLETIC16 YEAR OLD DIESAFTER FALL IN ZOARVALLYCOLTONRUDLOFF/WALKER'SGYMNASTICS COACHSOT OPEN :11I DON'T KNOW ANYONEELSE LIKE HER.

AND ITMAKES IT THAT MUCHHARDER THAT SHE'SNOT HERE.HOLDING BACKTEARS.COLTONRUD-LOFF SHARESMEMORIES OF STARATHLETE BROOKEWALKER.16-YEAR-OLD WALKERDIED AFTER FALLINGDURING A HIKE INZOAR VALLEY ONSATURDAY.

THETRAGEDY GAININGNATIONAL ATTENTIONFROM OUTLETS LIKEABC NEWS ANDPEOPLE MAGAZINE.RUDLOFF HADCOACHED THESPRINGVILLE TEEN ATGYMNASTICSUNLIMITED IN WESTSENECA FOR THE PASTFOUR YEARS.SOTNOT ONE PERSON,YOU'LL NEVER MEET ASINGLE PERSON THATDIDN'T LIKE HER.

ITWAS ALWAYSBROOKE'S THE BEST.WALKER TRAINEDBETWEEN FIVE ANDSIX DAYS A WEEK AS ALEVEL NINE GYMNAST.SHE WAS EVENFEATURED IN ONE OFOUR STORIES LASTYEAR WHEN SHE ANDTHREE OTHERTEAMMATES MADENATIONALSTOGETHER.

AT THETIMEONE OF HERCOACHES EXPLAINEDTHE COMPETITIONWAS LIKE THEOLYMPICS OF HERSKILL LEVEL.SOTSHE SUNK HER TEETHINTO THIS SPORT ANDREALLY PUT HEREFFORT INTO EVERYROTATION SHE CAMETO.WALKER WAS GOINGTO BE A JUNIOR WITHTHE SPRINGVILLE-GRIFFITH INSTITUTECENTRAL SCHOOLDISTRICT IN THE FALL.IN A STATEMENT, THEBUILDING PRINCIPALSAID."BROOKE WAS ANAMAZING YOUNGLADY, TALENTED,SMART, FUNNY ANDATHLETIC AMONGCOUNTLESS OTHERPOSITIVE ATTRIBUTES.IF YOU KNOW THEWALKER FAMILY, YOUKNOW THAT THEIRCHILDREN ARE THEIRENTIRE WORLD.PLEASE KNOW THATAS A SCHOOLCOMMUNITY, WE WILLDO WHATEVER WECAN TO OFFERSUPPORT DURING THISUNSPEAKABLYCHALLENGING TIME.WE KNOW THATBROOKE WAS LOVEDBY EVERYONE.PEERSAND STAFF MEMBERSALIKE."WALKER'S DEATH ATTHE NATUREPRESERVE MARKS THEFOURTH ONE IN THREEYEARS..IN 201820 YEAR OLDCONNOR LONG DIEDAFTER FALLING MORETHAN 70 FEET WHILETRYING TO CLIMB AWATERFALL IN ZOARVALLEY.IN 201735 YEAR OLDAMANDA GREEN ANDHER HUSBAND 33YEAR OLD WILLIAMGREEN DIED DURING AFAMILY HIKE IN ZOARVALLEY.

THE SOUTHBUFFALO COUPLE'STWO SONS, AGES 4AND 7, SURVIVED BUTNEEDED TO BEAIRLIFTED TO THEHOSPITAL WITHINJURIES.IN WALKER'S CASE,HER DEATH REMAINSUNDERINVESTIGATION.HOWEVERAUTHORITIES SAYTHEY RECEIVED ANUMBER OF 911 CALLSAFTER SHE FELL OFF ASTEEP LEDGESATURDAY EVENING.WE REACHED OUT TOTHE NYS DEPARTMENTOF ENVIRONMENTALCONSERVATION TOFIND OUT WHETHER ITWAS CONSIDERINGCLOSING ORREDUCING ACCESS TOTHE NATUREPRESERVE IN LIGHT OFTHIS LATEST TRAGEDYBUT NO ONE WASAVAILABLE TOCOMMENT.THOSE WHO KNEWBROOKE ARE NOWTRYING TO FIND A WAYTO HONOR THISYOUNG WOMAN.RUDLOFF SAYS THEGYM HAS CANCELEDPRACTICE FORSEVERAL DAYS.

THEYALSO PLAN TO HAVE AGRIEF COUNSELORAVAILABLE IN THECOMING DAYS.SOT :12I FIRMLY BELIEVE THATTHE IMPACT SHE'SMADE WILL FOREVERSTICK WITH US, ANDSHE HAS CHANGED ALLOF US FOR THEBETTER.IN WEST SENECA, ALITOUHEY, 7EWN.