Family reveals details of presumed dead Black Mountain hiker Diem Le Nguyen – NBC 7 San Diego

San Diego hiker Diem Le Nguyen is presumed dead after search crews found the body of a woman matching her description just after 9 a.m. Monday. A family member spoke to NBC 7 Monday about the mother of three.

“It was really sad because it’s not easy to lose someone. It’s just not today,” said family member William Do.

Do says he was looking for Diem Nguyen on Monday morning when he heard she had been found.

“I still can’t believe it,” Do said.

Do says Diem worked for the U.S. Navy. She has three grown children and is divorced. She never remarried. Diem is devoted to her friends, family and causes.

“It’s hard because you want them to stay with you. With all the memories you have, it gets hard,” Do said.

On Sunday, Nguyen hiked the popular Nighthawk Trail on Black Mountain, joining 150 other people in a fundraiser for the Build a School Foundation.

Jimmy Thai organized the event.

How to stay safe as the heat wave hits San Diego County

“Everyone is still in shock. We couldn’t believe what just happened,” Thai said.

Thai live-streamed a video of the hike on his social media page, showing Diem at the summit with several other hikers shortly after 9 a.m. on Sunday morning. They are all wearing the same black event t-shirts.

Nguyen separated from the group during the descent. The body of the woman who was found, who was presumably Diem, was on a completely different path.

Searchers say Diem was found a quarter mile from the intersection of Via Remini and Carmel Mountain Road and that she was discovered just over the ridge of the mountain, lying above several homes and near a shopping center.

Many questions remain unanswered, such as how Diem got so far off the trail. How could no one have noticed her efforts when there were so many hikers in the area?

“Someone had to see her afterward. She can’t go down the trail alone. It’s a group. You organize yourself together and wear a uniform so people can see you,” Do said.

The hike took place at the beginning of San Diego County’s first heat wave of the summer, and the mountains were under an extreme heat warning until Sunday evening.

Investigators say Nguyen called her sister around 10 a.m. to complain about the heat and the need for water. Thai says hikers were provided with plenty of water and snacks and the trail was marked with chalk.

“She is very cautious. In everything she does. I’m surprised she ran out of water. She always prepares well for what she does,” Do said.

Do says it was her brother who identified the woman found as Diem. The cause of death is currently unknown, and the official identification will be made by the San Diego County Coroner.

“I want people to remember how great she is. How she always thinks of others first. She always cares about her family and friends first,” Do said.

If you are planning a hike in high temperatures, experts recommend taking shorter walks beforehand to acclimate yourself to the hot weather.