Tragic Fall Claims Life of 61-Year-Old Woman at Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina

A 61-year-old woman, identified as Nancy Sampson from South Carolina, lost her life in a devastating fall from a 150-foot cliff at Glassmine Falls Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, according to the National Park Service.

The incident occurred on September 23 when dispatch operators received a call around noon reporting that a female had fallen down the steep cliff. Despite the arrival of National Park Service law enforcement rangers at the scene, it was confirmed that Sampson had tragically succumbed to her injuries.

Responders from the Reems Creek Fire Department, assisted by Mount Mitchell State Park rangers and a volunteer from the Trauma Intervention Program of Western North Carolina, worked together to recover Sampson’s body. The rescue crews demonstrated incredible bravery, rappelling over 100 feet down the cliff to locate the hiker.

A family member who was present at the scene was deeply distraught, and the Trauma Intervention Program of Western North Carolina provided crucial support to help him through this tragic loss.

Sampson’s husband, Robert Sampson, expressed his profound grief, describing his wife as having “a huge heart and a glowing smile that everyone loved.” He added, “My heart is broken – I will miss her smile and kind heart.”

Glassmine Falls Overlook is located approximately 25 miles northeast of Asheville and offers a distant view of a tall, skinny waterfall. This attraction requires some effort to reach and is best viewed after a rainy day, according to the National Park Service. The Blue Ridge Parkway itself stretches 469 miles through some of the highest peaks in the Eastern United States and is the most visited unit in the National Park Service.

Tragically, Nancy Sampson’s death marks the sixth fatality on the Blue Ridge Parkway this year, with a total of 13 deaths reported in 2022. Notably, there have been no previous reports of falls, serious injuries, or fatalities at the Glassmine Falls Overlook.