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Miami University professor dies after falling 150 feet while hiking in Alaska

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Posted at 3:00 PM, Jun 28, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-28 17:00:31-04

A Miami University professor died Friday after officials say he fell while hiking a mountain in Alaska.

The National Park Service (NPS) says 52-year-old David Shrider stopped to take a break while hiking with five friends and family members on Donoho Peak in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve near Kennecott.

A family member in the group told officials that Shrider asked for help before he rolled about 150 feet down a slope. When a member of the group found him, the NPS says he was dead, and his son then called 911.

Search and rescue team members and an Alaska state trooper used a helicopter to recover the hiker at about 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, according to the NPS. The body was then transported to an airport to be transported to a medical examiner’s office where an official cause of death will be determined.

In a statement on Facebook, the Farmer School of Business at Ohio’s Miami University identified Shrider as one of its professors.

“David graduated from Miami with degrees in finance and economics in 1992 and returned to Oxford as a professor in the Department of Finance in 2004. He has also served as the Director of Global Business Programs since 2017,” wrote the school.

The school said Shrider was loved as a valuable friend and colleague in the community.

“His positive impact and connection with his students was immeasurable, and resulted in his being named the Outstanding Professor by the Miami University Associated Student Government in 2020,” wrote the school. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and children.”