A 23-year-old died weeks into trip of a lifetime after jumping off a bridge into a river

From Cosmopolitan

A 23-year-old woman from New Zealand has died in Canada after jumping off a motorway bridge and into a river.

Danni Hogan had not long arrived in British Columbia, Canada at the start of a year-long trip with her boyfriend, Louis Aiello, when the tragic accident occurred.

Local newspaper, the Salmon Arm Observer reported the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) were called to the Bruhn Bridge over the Sicamous Channel when the incident occurred at 2am local time on Wednesday last week (August 8).

According to a statement from the RCMP, Danni was one of four who jumped from the bridge, which stands at around 20 metres above the river. When the others resurfaced but Danni did not, onlookers retrieved the New Zealander from the water and helped her to the river bank. But despite being transported to hospital, Danni was later pronounced dead.

Local police confirmed there does not appear to be any criminal activity linked to her death, however the coroners are still working to confirm exactly how she died.

"Tragically this is the second water-related death in Sicamous this summer," RCMP detachment commander Sergeant Murray McNeil said in a statement. "While we want to encourage people to get out and enjoy all that the area has to offer, we cannot stress enough the importance of paying attention to advisories and signage which are put in place to ensure your safety."

In a Give A Little page set up by Danni's boyfriend Louis to raise funds to transport his late girlfriend's body home, Louis described how the couple had embarked upon "what we thought would be a once in a lifetime whirlwind adventure. We were excited to meet new and inspiring people and begin our adventures with a new connection together".

But "in a blink of an eye this world we knew changed", the grieving boyfriend wrote. "Danni’s gentle and loving heart stopped beating after a freak accident I would do anything to take back!"

So far, over NZ $25,000 have been raised in aid of the transportation of Danni's body from Canada back to New Zealand, which is equivalent to almost £13,000.

"Danni was the love of my life and always will be. She will forever hold the biggest part of my heart and I feel unbelievably lucky to have shared my life and my heart with [her]," Louis wrote.

You can donate to Danni's fund here.

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