Friends mourn Waipio hiker

Students and staff of a Christian school in Kona are mourning the weekend death of a student in an apparent hiking accident in Waipio Valley.

Police haven’t released the identity of the woman whose body was found Sunday in the water of the Hiilawe Stream, but University of the Nations officials and family posts on social media confirm she was 22-year-old Lindsey Nickerson of Kailua-Kona. Police said Nickerson went missing during a hike Saturday to Hiilawe Falls.

Nickerson, originally from Oskaloosa, Iowa, arrived at the Kona campus in September to train as a missionary.

“We’re mourning and grieving, the student body especially,” said Matt Whitlock, an administrator at the Youth With a Mission-run school. “It’s quite tragic. She was … very athletic and agile, so it comes as a bit of a shock. But having faith and the perspective that she’s returned to the Lord gives hope in the midst of the pain.”

According to the Fire Department, Nickerson became separated from a group of about 25 hikers about 20-30 minutes into their hike Saturday. Whitlock said Nickerson planned the hike in the remote, rugged Hamakua valley, and at least some of her companions were fellow students.

“What I understand is that she got a bit ahead of the group, because of her strength and agility; some of the other group members weren’t able to keep up with her,” he said. “… Once they arrived at the waterfalls, they did not see her there. That’s when they thought something was wrong. So they quickly scoured (the area) and went back down to the van. When they … realized that she was not there, they immediately went to a local home, called the police, and I believe within an hour, search and rescue was on the scene.”

A county helicopter searched until nightfall and the following day. The body was found about 2 p.m. Sunday near the teahouse — an abandoned shell of a planned but never-opened restaurant — after Nickerson’s belongings had been found near the river. The body was reportedly found in 5 feet of water.

Police said in a statement they don’t suspect foul play.

Austin Blanchard, a University of the Nations staffer who, like Nickerson, is from Oskaloosa, described her as “a very, very kind, loving person.”

“She’s always looking out for the betterment of others, basically,” Blanchard said Monday. “… Growing in her faith was the number-one thing to her.”

Blanchard said “everything has kind of taken a pause” at the school.

“Right now, it’s just a lot of shock around campus and nobody really knows how to react,” he said. “We’re all kind of like a big family here, so we’re all doing what we can to support one another and to show love to one another. It’s really hard.”

Whitlock said Nickerson “left her mark” during her brief time at the Kona school.

“Our faculty saw a great amount of leadership potential in her,” he said. “I think that was evidenced by pulling her friends together, getting them organized and down to the hike. She had a real love for people … (and) a passion for what’s happening with injustice in different nations of the Earth. That’s why she came here, so she could train to go serve them.”

Whitlock said his “sincere condolences go out” to Nickerson’s family.

“Our focus right now is on the student body and the family,” he said.

According to Nickerson’s Facebook page, she had also studied at Colorado State University and online at Liberty University. Her social media posts showed a woman who loved the outdoors and physical activity.

Family members didn’t respond to Facebook requests for interviews in time for this story, but numerous posts by family and friends made note of the tragedy.

Said one poster: “Lindsey girl, our wonderful sister in Christ, you will be so missed. But how full of joy you must be, to be in the presence of our Lord! We love you so very much and will see you one day again!”

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune- herald.com.