Pittsburgh-area woman who drowned at Glacier National Park was an avid hiker who loved nature

NORTH APOLLO, Pa. (KDKA) — The North Apollo community is grieving the loss of a nurse who lost her life while hiking at a national park in Montana over the weekend. 

Twenty-six-year-old Gillian Tones was visiting Glacier National Park in Montana with her boyfriend on Sunday when the National Parks Service said she slipped on wet, slick rocks and fell into a creek. 

A spokesperson said Tones was “quickly swept up by the cold, fast moving water and went over a series of smaller waterfalls, then was pinned underwater by a log for several minutes until heroic efforts by other park visitors lead to pulling her from the river.”

Tones was an Apollo-Ridge High School graduate in 2015 before attending Westmoreland Community College for nursing.

Her family told KDKA-TV on Wednesday that Tones was a traveling nurse who was working at West Penn Hospital before her trip.

“She was an avid hiker and loved being outdoors and experiencing nature,” her brother Dillon Tones said. “Words can’t describe her. She was passionate and loved deeply.”

Her family said they’re thankful for those who risked their lives trying to save her, including her boyfriend Dominic.

“She knew how fragile life was and I think she’s happy with the life she lived,” Dillon Tones said.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.