Software company CEO dies 'doing what he loved' after falling at Zion National Park
A software company CEO was identified as the canyoneer who accidentally fell between 150 and 200 feet to his death while at the Zion National Park in Utah.
The man, identified as 40-year-old Justin Bingham, was canyoneering with three others through the Heaps Canyon before he fell on Saturday and was pronounced dead, the National Park Service said. Bingham was the CEO of Lindon, Utah-based software company Opiniion.
"Justin was a visionary who believed in the power of genuine connections, both with our clients and within our team," an announcement from Opiniion read. "His commitment to building meaningful relationships made a lasting impact on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. Justin’s spirit of adventure and dedication to living life fully will be deeply missed."
“If you spent any time around him, he was the eternal optimist," Devin Shurtleff, the company's co-founder and COO, is quoted saying in the announcement. “Justin wasn’t just a leader here at Opiniion—he was a mentor, a dad, and a friend to many of us. He believed that the relationships we build are what make this work meaningful, and he truly lived that every day.”
'We never doubted his love for us'
In an Instagram post shared by Opiniion, the company said Bingham was "doing what he loved this weekend" and called him "a friend, a mentor, an example of hard work (but) above all, he was family."
"Justin knew each of us by name and made a point when he came into the office to say hello to everyone individually, every single day," the post continued. "We never doubted his love for us and for those with whom he was associated. We will always remember his optimism, his kindness, and the hard work that brought Opiniion to where it is today."
How did Justin Bingham die?
Zion National Park's search and rescue team and the Washington County Sheriff's Office responded to Heaps Canyon and attempted to save Bingham's life.
A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter extracted the Bingham, according to the NPS. It flew him to an area near Watchman Campground where the Hurricane Valley Fire and Rescue and Intermountain Life Flight continued to render aid, park officials said.
Attempts to save Bingham's life were unsuccessful.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time,” Zion National Park Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh said in a news release.
On Sunday morning, two of the three remaining canyoneers were extracted by a DPS helicopter, according to park officials. Zion's search and rescue team helped the third canyoneer rappel down the canyon, and the individual reached the ground safely at 2 p.m. that day.