Esther Keiderling (left) and Tim Keiderling (right). Credit: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
A family shared their heartbreak after a dad and his daughter were found dead following a hike.
Tim Keiderling, 58, and his daughter Esther, 28, of Ulster Park, N.Y., were found dead about 1,000 feet apart in the Tablelands area of Mount Katahdin, Maine.
Their bodies were discovered on June 4 and June 5, after a multi-day search by Maine authorities and Warden Service K9 teams, according to PEOPLE.
The pair had traveled to Maine on a work-related sales trip for Rifton Equipment, a New York medical supply company they both worked for.
During a break, they planned to hike the mountain that had long fascinated them.
The trip turned tragic.
Joe Keiderling, Tim’s brother, told NBC News,
“They decided to take a weekend vacation and climb a mountain that had always attracted them.”
One day before they went missing, Esther wrote on Substack about feeling “a little nervous”
because of the steep, exposed Abol Trail, according to WMTW-TV.
The Keiderling family now faces deep grief.
In a statement from their Bruderhof community church, Tim’s brother-in-law Heinrich Arnold said,
“Both were taken from us far too soon, and we are all left asking: ‘Why?’”
He added,
“One comfort is knowing Tim and Esther were doing something they loved:
being close to God, surrounded by nature’s raw beauty.”
Arnold described the last days as
“filled with endless hours of heartache and prayer.”
Joe Keiderling called his brother “utterly unique.”
He recalled how many young people remember Tim as an elementary school teacher
who captivated them with imaginative stories about the Hudson Valley woods and fields.
Tim, a father of six and grandfather of two, was active in the Bruderhof Communities.
“At church gatherings, Tim was a regular contributor,” Joe said.
He served as a lay pastor and gifted storyteller,
bringing Bible stories to life and connecting them to today’s issues.
At home, Tim was “the consummate host,” loving lively conversation and laughter.
He enjoyed nature, growing berries, tending bees, and following his spiritual path.
Joe described Esther as “quiet but deeply sensitive.”
“She loved reading and writing, especially poets Gerard Manley Hopkins and Edna St. Vincent Millay.”
Tim and Esther were last seen around 10:15 AM on June 1,
leaving Abol Campground to climb Mount Katahdin.
Their vehicle was later found in a day-use lot, triggering a large search on Monday.
The Baxter State Park website warns that Katahdin trails are “very strenuous,” with limited water and full exposure after 2.5 miles.
The hike can take 8 to 12 hours round-trip.
On June 3, authorities found Tim’s body near the summit.
The next day, they discovered Esther’s body about 1,000 feet away between two trails in the Tablelands.
Officials say there is no evidence of foul play so far.
The state medical examiner will determine the official cause of death.
Investigators are still working to understand why their bodies were found apart.
