The young man who died after falling from a cliff in Sydney during a whale watching trip was a Mormon missionary from Utah in the USA who had spent almost a year in Australia.
19-year-old Gavin Paul Zimmerman fell at least 10 metres at Cape Solander in Kurnell, south of Sydney, on Monday afternoon.
In a statement from Mr Zimmerman’s parents, Raymond and Jeanette Zimmerman, say that it is with a heavy heart that they share the news of their son’s death and that will miss him very much.
“Gavin was a ray of light in our lives!” his parents said in their statement.
The grieving parents said their son was a high school track and field athlete and football player who came to Sydney last August for a mission.
They said he was deeply religious and had held several leadership positions.
“He was a great role model for all of us and loved his mission very much. He loved teaching people and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ,” said Mr. Zimmerman’s parents.
The police found him floating in the water with the help of a rescue helicopter and pulled him unconscious to shore.
Paramedics performed CPR, but he could not be revived.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints confirmed that Mr. Zimmerman was with other missionaries when the tragedy occurred.
For many Mormons, missions are considered rites of passage; men serve two years and women 18 months.
Mr Zimmerman’s death came barely six weeks after a man in his 30s fell and died at the same popular whale-watching spot.
One man who died when he fell off a cliff in Kurnell while whale watching was a Mormon missionary from Utah who had spent nearly a year in Australia. Elder Gavin Zimmerman was serving as a missionary in Sydney. He was with other missionaries at Cape Solander when the accident occurred. pic.twitter.com/4l1TfdEbas
— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) 24 July 2018
New South Wales Police Commissioner Chris Hill urged all visitors to the area to pay attention to warning signs.
“These rocks are very slippery. For your safety, we recommend that you stay on the whale watching platform and do not walk on the rocks,” he said.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service describes Cape Solander as “one of the best whale watching sites in Sydney”.
June and July are the best times to see humpback whales off the east coast of New South Wales as they migrate north to warmer waters.
