Gunnar Kennedy, a 2023 graduate of Alton High School and student at the University of Virginia, died this week during a solo hiking trip in Slovenia, prompting an outpouring of community support for his family.
Kennedy, who was studying abroad in Spain, traveled to Slovenia over the weekend to hike Mount Triglav. According to his family, he separated from friends to attempt a solo summit on Oct. 4. He was reported missing after he failed to return from the mountain or make his flight back to Spain.
After an extensive search, which family members traveled to Slovenia to join, Kennedy was found dead by search and rescue personnel on Thursday, according to a timeline shared with the Quill by his brother, Justin Thurman. Preliminary information from Thurman indicates Kennedy may have been caught in a storm, suffered from hypothermia, and fell.
The congregation of Alton Methodist Church invites the community to join in prayer at 6 p.m. today at the church, in support of the Kennedy family, extended family and friends. The church, 304 Hodges St., is across the street from Clary Funeral Home.
A GoFundMe campaign, “Help Bring Gunnar Kennedy Home,” has also been established to assist the family with the extensive costs of repatriating his body from Slovenia. After raising just over $3,000 by early Thursday afternoon, the fundraiser had reached $18,876 of its $22,000 goal by 3 p.m. Friday, raised by 387 donors. To contribute, visit www.gofundme.com/f/help-bring-gunnar-kennedy-home.
