Video by Devin Conley | Multimedia Reporter
Hundreds of friends, family, classmates and professors gathered at the top of “A” Mountain Monday night to honor Katelyn Conrad, a 21-year-old biomedical engineering senior who was killed in a rappelling accident over the weekend.
The Arizona Republic reported that Conrad was on an excursion in the Tonto National Forest near Coon Bluff with a group from the ASU Outdoors Club when her rappelling equipment appeared to fail Saturday morning.
People of all ages, from young children to the elderly, gathered at the butte, holding small candles in memory of Conrad. Her friends wore T-shirts from various clubs of which she was a part, including the ASU Outdoors Club and the Biomedical Engineering Club.
The group passed around candles and held them close to protect the flames from the wind of the cold night as they stood in silence to remember their friend. Some brought flowers or mementos, including a softball glove.
Well-wishers participate in a candlelight vigil for biomedical engineering senior Katelyn Conrad on Monday, Jan. 19, 2015, at Tempe's "A" Mountain. Conrad, a member of ASU's Outdoors Club, died Saturday in a rappelling accident in Tonto National Forest. (Ben Moffat/The State Press)As the group filed up the mountain in the darkness of the early evening, it was clear there were far too many attendees to fit at the top, so the crowd snaked halfway down the mountain, filling the path with those mourning the loss of Conrad.
Photos from Conrad’s Facebook page show her participating in various outdoor activities, including rock climbing, rappelling and snowboarding.
Family members have requested privacy and asked that vigil attendees not speak to the media in order to preserve Conrad's memory.
If you are grieving and would like to seek counseling, services are available at all hours on each campus. Phone numbers and scheduling can be found on the counseling website.
Well-wishers leave their condolences at a pop-up memorial during a candlelight vigil for biomedical engineering senior Katelyn Conrad on Monday, Jan. 19, 2015, at Tempe's "A" Mountain. Conrad, a member of ASU's Outdoors Club, died Saturday in a rappelling accident in Tonto National Forest. (Ben Moffat/The State Press)
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