Michael Pirie and Grant Lockenbach were members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at UF.
February 14, 2011|By Rene Stutzman and Walter Pacheco, Orlando Sentinel
In the mountains of North Georgia, Michael Pirie, 18, of Ocoee, knew his friend was in trouble. Grant Lockenbach, 20, of DeLand, was hanging by a rope about 60 feet down in the middle of a snow-fed waterfall.
Lockenbach had begun the descent, hoping to retrieve a wallet and climbing gear that another friend had dropped down the shaft. Somehow, in the icy water, Lockenbach got tangled and couldn't go up or down. He called for help.
Pirie, a freshman at the University of Florida, headed down the same rope to rescue him. That was the last anyone saw him alive.
By the time a local emergency crew got to the scene, the two University of Florida students were dead, still attached to the rope, still dangling in the waterfall.
That was Saturday afternoon. Walker County, Ga., Sheriff Steve Wilson said both men had apparently died of hypothermia.
Their bodies were taken to the state crime laboratory in Atlanta for autopsies.
The details of what happened that day came from David Ashburn, director of emergency services for Walker County, Ga., just east of Chattanooga, Tenn., who helped retrieve the bodies.
Pirie and Lockenbach had gone to the Crockford Pigeon Wildlife Management Area, well known for its caves, with eight other members of the University of Florida Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
The group had been caving that day, Ashburn said, exploring that area but, by mistake, someone had dropped a duffel bag down a 125-foot shaft. Lockenbach went down to get it, Ashburn said.
The group was ill-equipped, under-dressed and many members had little experience with caves, Ashburn said.
Pirie and Lockenbach were wearing cotton T-shirts and shorts, not nearly enough clothing for a cave in which temperatures stay a constant 50-60 degrees year-round.
The water temperature was probably about 40 degrees, Ashburn said, and was runoff from snow earlier in the week.
"It looks like they might have survived, 20-30 minutes in the cold, rushing water," said Wilson.
The rescue crew had to treat the eight students who hadn't gone into the hole for mild hypothermia as well, Ashburn said.
Pirie's grandmother, Ruth Vander Lugt, 71 of Ocoee, said her grandson was a brave soul who loved the outdoors and was close to God.
"He gave his life for a friend, and the Bible says there's no greater love than a man giving his life for a friend."
Pirie was studying marketing at UF, made the dean's list last semester and played the bass drum for the UF Drumline.
"He was so thrilled, being part of the drumline," said his father, Brent Pirie of Ocoee. "He was so much in his element, always on the 50-yard line at the Swamp."
His family has close ties to Lake Highland Prep. His mother and father both teach there; his grandfather taught there for 17 years and still works as a substitute teacher. His grandmother also works there as a substitute.
An older sister, Lauren, graduated from Lake Highland in 2008 and is currently at the University of South Florida. A younger sister, Rebecca, is set to graduate from Lake Highland in 2012.
His father learned about his son's death while riding to a Lake Highland basketball game Saturday evening.
"Saturday morning, he gave me a text," said Pirie, "He said, 'We're at the cave, and we're doing great.' He said, 'I'll call you tonight.' Unfortunately, he wasn't able to."
There were tentative plans are for a memorial service Feb. 20 in the Bourne Chapel on the Lake Highland campus.
Michael Pirie loved water sports, according to his grandparents, especially water skiing. And he performed magic tricks for children in hospitals.
"He was just a great kid," said Penny Horn, administrator at an Orlando orthopedist's office where Pirie worked part-time after school last year. "He was quiet. He was respectful. He was just an excellent worker. … It's everybody's dream that when their child grows up, they'd be like Michael."
Lockenbach was a senior at UF, studying sociology and a member of ROTC. He was president of the UF chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
FCA members gathered Sunday for a prayer service at Abundant Grace Community Church in Gainesville.
Former FCA president Cody Davidson said more than 150 people attended. "People are deeply affected by their loss across campus," he said.
Pirie and Lockenbach had a strong friendship. Davidson said the pair had gone camping and spent the Thanksgiving holiday together.
"[Lockenbach] saw a lot of leadership potential in [Pirie] and had suggested he could follow up after him as president," Davidson said.
Friends of the two students posted messages on Facebook.
Lockenbach's cousin, Risa Lockenbach Epstein, wrote on her page: "He was a friend, he was a son, he was a student, he was a brother, he was a boyfriend, he was a leader, he was my cousin, he will be remembered for the mark he left on many."
"For anyone of you that knew Grant and Mike they were truly men of God that followed Jesus with all of themselves and have affected many lives in ROTC, Band, the homeless community, FCA, and everyone they have come in contact with," wrote FCA treasurer Taylor McMurrin on the group's Face book page.
Source: Orlando Sentinel
