We gotta talk about what went down out in Yosemite this past Saturday, because it is a tragedy that should have never happened. A 22-year-old young man named Josue Baires Alfaro lost his life after being swept over the massive 594-foot Nevada Fall. Now the National Park Service is investigating the whole situation, but the streets need to hear the real truth about this: when you go out into wild nature, you have got to respect the elements, because the water does not care about your age or your plans.

The wild story started when a woman named Freesia Gaul was taking pictures and saw Alfaro struggling in the Merced River. She noticed right away that the young brother did not look like a strong swimmer. Gaul, who used to be a volunteer lifeguard, did what any real one would do—she jumped right in to try and save him. That is pure bravery, but the river had other plans.

As soon as Gaul hit the water, she realized she was in over her head. She explained that people see calm water on the surface, but they do not realize there is a massive, violent undercurrent running underneath. The water was so turbulent she could not even get close to Alfaro, and she started drowning herself. She honestly thought she was a goner until some random bystander reached out with a walking stick and pulled her back from the edge. Gaul survived, but Alfaro went over the 594-foot drop.

Yosemite is one of the most popular parks in the country, pulling in about 4 million visitors every year. People go out there from San Francisco and all over to hike, ride bikes, and get away from the city. But too many people treat these dangerous wilderness areas like they are water parks with lifeguards on duty. They do not realize how fast things can turn deadly when you are dealing with wild mountain water.

This is not the first time Nevada Fall has claimed a life. Back in 2013, a 19-year-old kid from California went swimming in the Merced River, got caught in the current, and was swept right over the edge. Then in 2018, an Israeli teenager fell 800 feet off a cliff in the exact same spot because he was trying to take a selfie. These are real lives lost because people did not understand the gravity of the situation.

The park rangers keep warning everybody to use 'extreme caution' when they are anywhere near the water or wet rocks. But the warning signs only work if you actually listen to them. If you cannot swim, or if you do not know how deep and fast the current is, you have no business stepping off the trail and getting into that water.