'She brought joy, laughter, kindness': family pay tribute to daughter who died hiking on Devil's Peak

The family of a US student who died while hiking on Devil's Peak in Cape Town say the loss of their 20-year-old daughter was tragic and unexpected.

An autopsy is yet to determine what led to the death of Brook Cheuvront last weekend on the slopes of the peak.

“It is with deep sorrow that we announce the tragic, unexpected and accidental loss of our beloved daughter Brook Ceclia. She illuminated our lives and left a lasting impact on all who had the privilege of knowing her,” her father Steve Cheuvront wrote in a post on Facebook.

“She brought joy, laughter, kindness and helpfulness to our lives and the lives of everyone she encountered. Brook had a vigorous passion and love for learning.”  

Brook was a Morehead scholar from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was doing an internship at an NGO in Cape Town. She embarked on the hike on Saturday and her body was found by the City of Cape Town's “eye-in-the-sky” aircraft using on-board cameras.

Brook shared news of her adventures in the city on social media.

While interning at Justice Desk Africa, she met Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, describing him as “humble” during a talk he gave at their Ntsika ye Themba programme, which aims to educate young boys on gender-based violence to empower them to be activists and community role models.

She also spent a day in Kirstenbosch Gardens, visited the planetarium and attended the Springboks vs New Zealand rugby game in the city.

“As we navigate this unimaginable loss we ask for privacy during this difficult time. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support from our friends, family and community,” wrote her father.  

“In honour of Brook, we encourage everyone to cherish the moments with their loved ones and to continue spreading kindness in Brook’s memory.” 

The family have honoured Brook by creating a memorial scholarship fund at her former high school, Avery County. 

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