NEW HOME, Texas (ABP) — A Baptist church in Texas is mourning the loss of its new youth minister, who was killed in a hiking accident at a state park.
Nathan Neel, 24, recently started working as youth minister at New Home Baptist Church in Lubbock, Texas. Authorities say he left early on Friday morning Aug. 14 to hike at Palo Duro Canyon State Park in the Texas Panhandle. Other hikers found his body later that afternoon.
A preliminary autopsy indicated he died from heat exhaustion that led to a heat stroke.
Calvin Gray, pastor of New Home Baptist Church, told the Associated Press that Neel had gone to the canyon before with other people, but this time he decided to make the 120-mile trip alone.
Neel's girlfriend told the Amarillo Globe-News that the canyon was one of his favorite places, and he went there to be alone with God.
His father, Joe Neel, told the newspaper that his son called him when he reached the canyon to inform him he had arrived safely. He said his last words to his son were that he loved him.
Funeral service for Neel is scheduled for 1 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 20, at Bacon Heights Baptist Church in Lubbock, where he formerly worked as a youth intern.
Both churches are affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
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