Tragedy Strikes as Irish Student’s Kayaking Trip Ends in Devastation
A heart-wrenching incident has left a family and a close-knit community in mourning. Ella Mills, a young student from Ireland, met a tragic fate during a kayaking adventure in the United States.
Ella, enrolled in a dual BA program between Columbia University in New York and Trinity College Dublin, had recently embarked on her educational journey in the Big Apple. However, her life took a sorrowful turn during a kayaking expedition on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Ella joined the university’s Whitewater Kayaking Club for an outing on a Sunday afternoon, but she never returned.
The Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service reported that Ella Mills became trapped under a rock in the Little Falls section of the river, rendering her unable to escape. This heartbreaking incident unfolded mere weeks after her arrival in New York, according to school administrators.
Columbia University’s President, Minouche Shafik, expressed profound grief, saying, “Words cannot express how heartbroken I feel for her family, her friends, her loved ones, and those students from the University who were with her on this trip.”
Emergency responders rushed to the scene at Little Falls, located northwest of Washington, D.C., and into Maryland, in a valiant effort to rescue Ella. Tragically, their attempts to free her from beneath the rock proved unsuccessful.
Dean and Professor Lisa Rosen-Metsch at Columbia University remembered Ella Mills as a student filled with intellectual curiosity and a passion for learning. In a letter to the student body, she shared, “Originally from Dublin, Ella was just beginning her journey at Columbia University as a third-year student in our Dual BA Program with Trinity College Dublin. She arrived in New York earlier this month to begin her studies at Columbia, having completed her English Studies coursework in Dublin. Ella had a love for learning, was intellectually curious, and passionate about literature—eager to soak in new ways of looking at literature and viewing the world as a literary scholar.”
Ella was actively engaged in various student activities, including Trinity College Dublin drama society, the DU Players, the Trinity College Dublin Tennis Club, and the Philosophical Society.
Tragically, Ella Mills leaves behind her loving parents, brother, and sister, and the thoughts and compassion of many are with them during this incredibly difficult time.
Around two dozen people from Columbia University were part of the kayaking trip when the tragic accident occurred. The university organized a “community reflection” event to remember Ella at the Peter J. Awn GS Student Lounge in Lewisohn Hall.
In the wake of this devastating loss, Columbia University’s leaders are providing support and guidance to grieving students. This includes access to psychological and religious services.
As the investigation into this heartbreaking incident continues, the memory of Ella Mills lives on in the hearts of those who knew her.