- A Texas man likely died from heatstroke while he was in Arches National Park in Utah, his sister said.
- He was there as part of an interstate journey to scatter their father's ashes, the sister added.
A Texas man likely died from heatstroke while he was on a trip to a national park in Utah to spread his dad's ashes, his sister said, according to The San Antonio Express-News.
James Bernard Hendricks, 66, became disoriented from a combination of high altitude, heat, and dehydration while in the Arches National Park, his sister, Ruth Hendricks Brough, said in a social media post, citing park rangers.
She said that Hendricks had embarked on an interstate journey to scatter their father's ashes, with his ultimate destination Mount Rose near Reno, Nevada, their father's longtime residence.
Hendricks had documented the trip on social media, referring to it as a "Final Journey with My Father," which had previously included visits to the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon National Park for ash scattering, according to posts.
The National Park Service said in a press release that it had initiated a search for a man reported overdue on August 1.
The search led them to Hendricks' vehicle at the Sand Dune Arch Trail parking lot, and subsequently to his off-trail location.
In her social media post, Brough said that rangers had found an empty quart-sized water bottle near the body. She added that her brother had been taking a powerful diuretic for blood pressure — hydrochlorothiazide — which can cause severe dehydration.
Brough also said in her post that her brother had done extensive hiking and camping before reaching Utah.
In an interview with the Express-News, Brough said: "He was loved by countless people because he was an unusually kind, sweet person who made friends easily. Now all these people are grieving. It was a horrible shock."
The National Park Service and Grand County Sheriff's Office are investigating the death, according to CBS News.
Neither immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.