At the beginning of 2015, Allison “Ally” Lynn Willen, a Human Development student at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, left the U.S. for a semester abroad. She chose the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, partly to indulge her passion for trekking, but also to challenge herself with new experiences, to literally go farther.
In April, while hiking with other students in New Zealand’s Mount Aspiring National Park, a torrential downpour turned their trek into a nightmare. Ally became separated from the group and didn’t show up at a checkpoint. As soon as the waters receded, Ally’s body was found; apparently she had slipped into a rain engorged creek and was swept away.
This site is designed as a memorial to Ally, a catalogue of this unique, courageous and enlightened human being. Please enjoy the remembrances and feel free to add your own.
