Super sad news.

A former editor of the Boston Globe and Berkshire Eagle has tragically died after a fall from Mount Katahdin in Maine.

MassLive.com reports that Donald MacGillis got lost in the fog while out hiking with his nephew.  MacGillis and his 25 year old nephew Paul called for help and rangers were able to talk them through locating a place to shelter until morning.

Unfortunately, during the night the 74 year old suffered a 50 foot fall.  MassLive reports that Maine Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopter airlifted MacGillis to the hospital but they were unable to save him.  In addition to suffering injuries from the fall, he was also suffering hypothermia.

His son Alec shared a beautiful picture on Facebook:

According to Masslive, the plan had been to hike Dudly Trail which had previously been closed due to rockslides.

MacGillis was a very accomplished journalist.  He ran the Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, MA until 1995 and then was an editor at the Boston Globe until he retired in 2012.

The Boston Globe wrote a beautiful piece on MacGillis.  Jane Swift, the former Governor of Massachusetts, told the Globe:

"He wrote beautifully, and as the daughter of a Catholic school teacher, that’s something you come to admire,”

It seems like there have been a lot of hiking accidents this season. According to the pressherald.com, this is the sixth rescue from Mount Katahdin in Maine, including another one from last week.

Sending our thoughts and prayers to the MacGillis family.

 

 

 

 

Here are some tips for self-care during the pandemic:

 

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