Family mourns young man who died at the Grand Canyon: 'Shock and denial'

PHOENIX - Two people died at the Grand Canyon in a two-day span – we're learning a bit more about one of them as his family mourns his death.

On Aug. 1, a man died after attempting an illegal BASE jump. The day before, Abel Mejia fell 400 feet from the rim near the Pipe Creek Overlook.

Abel was just 20-years-old.

Abel Mejia

All four of his siblings shared what they'll miss most about their brother.

"It's a different type of pain," Bryant Mejia, his older brother, said. "It's like there's something missing in your heart."

On July 31, North Carolina native, Abel, was on a mission trip when he fell from the rim of the Grand Canyon. His body was found 400 feet below.

His sister, Steffany Bishop, was with her parents when they received the devastating news.

"When we heard it, we were in shock and denial," she said. "Like, there's no way."

They were given little information about the worst day of their lives.

Abel Mejia's family

"They were with a smaller group the day that he passed. They were doing their devotions, you know, when everything happened," Josh Mejia, his brother, said.

It was a call that took all of Abel's siblings by surprise.

"It just hit me like a ton of bricks," Bryant said. "I didn't know what to do."

"I remember getting out of the truck and and just crying. It's like I took a blow to my stomach. I couldn't breathe. I felt this heaviness on me," Steffany said.

They remember him as a happy person who always brought a smile to their faces.

"Every car ride, blasting the music, top of his lungs. He doesn't care if it's too high. He always, always was trying to reach the note," said his younger brother Jonathan Mejia.

He was a freshman at Indiana Bible College and had aspirations to be a youth pastor.

"It's really sad that we lost our brother, but we know that he's in a better place. We know that he's with Jesus. That brings us so much peace that I can't explain," Steffany said.

A GoFundMe was set up to help with Abel's funeral expenses – click here to view it.