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Unfortunately, Sotelo disappeared while hiking up Mount Lafayette on Nov. 20, 2022. Searchers found her body was found three days later, as previously reported by Daily Voice.
Now, the group Hiking Buddies has organized an event for this summer in the hopes of educating and helping other hikers stay safe while out on the trail.
It's called Emily’s Hike To Save a Life, and the July 29 event will benefit the Emily M. Sotelo Persistence and Safety Charitable Foundation, search and rescue groups, and hiking safety initiatives.
Emily's mother, Olivera, said in a video to promote the event that the hiking community stepped up to help her and her family as they grappled with their grief.
"I had a lot of support from work, from friends, from family," she said. "But the overwhelming support from people who did not know her, and their pain and their willingness to do anything for her, were empowering."
Olivera Sotelo said her oldest daughter was studying to be a doctor. Emily wanted to save lives, and she will still get that chance.
"Seeing people rally to save a life would make Emily very proud of the whole (hiking) community," her mother said in the video. "She would feel that she made an impact on earth while she was with us together."
To learn more about Emily's Hike to Save a Life or to register, visit HikingBuddies.com.
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