By Abby Luciano, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter NORTH SHORE NEWS
The B.C. Coroners Service is investigating the death of the young man found on Grouse Mountain after the Oct. 19 atmospheric river.
The Coroners Service confirmed that 25-year-old Tevin Rauner is the deceased.
Rauner鈥檚 mother Chandra Russell said her son went out hiking on Grouse Mountain on Friday, Oct. 18, and that his body was found on Monday, Oct. 21. Russell said she believes her son wasn鈥檛 prepared for the conditions and didn鈥檛 make it home.
鈥淭he storm hit, and I don鈥檛 think he really anticipated how cold it was going to get,鈥� Russell said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just awful.鈥�
Russell said she holds countless memories of her son on the North Shore and around the Lower Mainland. She recalls Rauner loving to spend time outdoors with his brothers, sisters and their dog in Ambleside. Other times, Rauner would take his siblings out for Slurpees and treats at the corner store. He also had a creative side as a writer and musician, taking guitar lessons at Long & McQuade on Main Street for four years, and doing many performances with Ecole Handsworth Secondary at Centennial Theatre.
Russell said she and her family are shocked and in mourning after finding out about the sudden death.
鈥淗e was really loved, and he鈥檒l be really missed,鈥� Russell said. 鈥淗is brothers and sisters are just devastated, as I am as well. We鈥檙e all just in shock, because it was very unexpected.鈥�
Russell said they鈥檝e been told blood work will be done to test for hypothermia, but the results won鈥檛 be available for two to three months.
District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services members assisted with the recovery of Rauner鈥檚 body on Oct. 21. A statement from Grouse Mountain Resort noted that the incident did not occur on resort property. In a statement, North Vancouver RCMP said the investigation falls under the Coroners Service and they were are unable to comment.
While some questions remain around the death, the grief of his loved ones is very real.
鈥淗e was just such a sweet boy. He always cared about others, loved animals and was such a good, big brother,鈥� Russell said. 鈥淚t was just a horrible accident and were all very sad.鈥�
Russell created a GoFundMe page to raise donations for a funeral and memorial for Rauner last week. The campaign has already raised more than $10,000. Russell said she has been grateful for all the support from friends and family, with some flying in from Calgary, where she鈥檚 from, as well as co-workers and people from the local music community.
Friday, Nov. 1, would have marked Rauner鈥檚 26th birthday. The family is still planning to do something to celebrate him.
鈥淗e won鈥檛 be here to celebrate that, but 鈥� we鈥檙e .125going to.375 to do something nice for him,鈥� she said.
The BC Coroners Service did not directly answer if the cause of death is related to the atmospheric river. As the investigation into the cause of death is still open, the Coroners Service said they would not provide any further details at this point.
