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Woman dies at Roaring Brook Falls

ST. HUBERTS – A 37-year-old firefighter from Staten Island fell to her death at Roaring Brook Falls on Saturday.

JoAnn Restko was near the top of the iconic waterfall trying to take photographs when she fell. Essex County Coroner Frank Whitelaw said in a press release that Restko’s companion saw her walk out on a rock to take a picture. The companion said Restko tried to turn around and then disappeared from sight.

The companion could not locate Restko and called forest rangers for help. Responding rangers found Restko’s body in the water at the base of the falls. She was dead, and a subsequent investigation revealed that she had fallen between 80 and 100 feet, hitting the rock wall as she fell.

An autopsy is scheduled for today.

Restko was an avid hiker who had visited and hiked in the Adirondacks before. She was a member of the “Aspiring Adirondack 46ers” Facebook group as well as “Adirondack Hikers” and “New York State Camping Enthusiasts.”

Restko was a lieutenant with the New York City fire department at Station 7. A post on the station’s Facebook page said, “One of the coolest Lt’s I’ve ever had the pleasure of serving under. Short in stature, a little rough at times, but big in heart and determination.”

This is the second death at Roaring Brook Falls already this year. In March, a 12-year-old boy from Greenwich, near Saratoga Springs, died in a freak accident. Connor McLaughlin was visiting the falls with his uncle, with whom he lived, when a rock dislodged from near the top of the falls and hit McLaughlin as he stood at the bottom of the falls. At that time, Whitelaw said he had seen numerous injuries at the falls from people falling but had never seen a rock dislodge and hit anyone.

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