Orillia Patrick Fogarty grad Angela Rehorn victim of Ethiopian plane crash

ORILLIA — Residents here are mourning the death of a young Orillia woman and environmentalist who died in the Ethiopian plane crash Sunday.

Angela Rehorn, 24, was a Patrick Fogarty high school graduate.

The Canadian Wildlife Federation confirmed in a tweet Monday that:

Angela Rehorn, 24, was on her way to Nairob for a conference when her plane crashed Sunday killing all 157 passengers and crew.

“It is w deep sadness that we share the tragic passing of CWF’s CCC participant, Angela Rehhorn. Angela was on her way to UNs Environmental Assembly in Nairobi w UNs Association of Canada’s & Canada Service Corps Program when the plane crashed on Sunday. Our thoughts are with you.”

Rehhorn, 24, was flying to Nairobi to for in the United Nations Environmental Assembly when the went down March 10, killing all 157 onboard including passengers and crew.

The crash occurred about 31 miles south of 50 km south of Addis Ababa.

The Couchiching Conservancy posted this tribute on their website:

“Angela was working with us to establish a citizen science bat monitoring program as a service project of the Canadian Conservation Corps (through the Canadian Wildlife Federation). In this third phase of the Conservation Corps program, youth take on projects in their home community that will have a lasting and positive impact on the environment.

Four of Ontario’s eight bat species are listed as a Species at Risk, and The Couchiching Conservancy as yet has no inventory of bats on our Nature Reserves.

From the moment we met her, we could see Angela was a gifted and committed conservationist who was dedicated to making the world a better place. She set about contacting Canadian bat experts for advice on establishing the program and was looking forward to collaborating with them this spring and summer field season.

You may have met her at the Annual General Meeting March 2nd, talking up bat monitoring at our Volunteer display.

We were excited for Angela when she was chosen as a youth representative at the 4th UN Environment Assembly gathering in Nairobi, Kenya.  She was enroute to Nairobi when the tragic accident occurred.

Our thoughts go out to all impacted by her death, and our hearts are with Angela’s family and friends.

Angela’s family has requested donations in lieu of flowers, which can be made to The Couchiching Conservancy or the Canadian Wildlife Federation in Angela’s memory.  We will notify the family of your donation.

Angela’s family shared more details of her background with us:

Angela grew up in Orillia and enjoyed sports. She graduated from Patrick Fogarty Secondary School and was a competitive soccer player with the Orillia Lightning team, as well as a competitive swimmer with the Orillia Channel Cats.

She went on to graduate from Dalhousie University in 2017 with a double major in Marine Biology and Sustainability. She worked in a variety of environmental jobs on the west and east coast including Resource Conservation Intern with  Pacific Rim National Park Reserve in B.C. and Aquaculture Research Technician with the Huntsman Marine Science Centre in New Brunswick.

From a young age she was passionate about the environment and marine life. We should all be so fearless and passionate about conservation.”