The father of American exchange student, Brook Cheuvront, has paid tribute to his daughter, after she is thought to have fallen to her death on Devil’s Peak on Saturday 21 September.

Brook’s body was found on the slopes of Devil’s Peak on Sunday 22 September, after she was reported missing the day before. She had intended to hike up the peak via the Rhodes via the Rhodes Memorial hiking trail.

READ: Missing US Student’s body found on Devil’s Peak

Describing the loss of his 20 year old daughter as ”profoundly earthshaking”, Steve Cheuvront has made a series of heartbreaking posts on Facebook to express his grief.

On Tuesday, Mr. Cheuvront wrote an emotional message on behalf of his family on Facebook:

”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. She brought joy, laughter, kindness,and helpfulness to our lives and the lives of everyone she encountered.

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

Brook had a vigorous passion and love for learning. In lieu of flowers, The Cheuvront Family wishes to have a scholarship fund for Avery High School honoring Brook.”

Cheuvront has also followed up this post with numerous photos of his beloved daughter, captioning one with ”My sweet girl. So much life left to enjoy. So profoundly earthshaking.”

Brook was only in South Africa for about a month when tragedy struck, and her father meticulously kept track of her adventures on the continent.

The North Carolina student was also doing an internship at Justice Desk Africa, as part of an internship associated with her Morehead-Cain Scholarship.

After the news emerged that Brook’s body was found, SANParks issued a notice urging hikers to take precautions and to hike in groups.