Tragic Yet Heroic: Young Mom Gives Her Life to Save Her Falling Toddler

Aimee Herd : May 4, 2016
Oregon Live

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

[Oregon Live] It's not the kind of sad news you ever want to hear, but especially not just before Mother's Day; a young mom falling to her death. (Photo: Family photo/via Oregon Live)

However, the reason she fell is heroic... She was trying to save her 3-year-old son.
 
Stephanie A. Cohen (37) was hiking with her four children and husband on the narrow trail at Horsetail Falls in the Columbia River Gorge on Sunday afternoon.
 
Little Oliver had been riding on the shoulders of another family member, according to a KGW report, but when he was put down, the toddler ventured too near the edge of the cliff.
 
"Oliver was getting close to the edge and his foot wiggled on a rock and he started to go down," Stephanie's mother, Lisa Schroeder explained. "She just did what she instinctively thought to do and that was go after him." (Screengrab via KPTV.com)
 
The two fell 50 to 60 feet at first, and then another 20 to 30 feet down a slope, said the Oregon Live report.
 
According to KPTV, Family members said that Stephanie was still conscious and asking for her son when help arrived. They say she died shortly after finding out he survived. 
 
Oliver was taken to Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland with a possible neck injury, bumps and bruises, but is expected to recover. (Screengrab via KPTV.com)
 
Schroeder, owner of Mother's Bistro in Portland noted of her daughter, "Her motherly instincts prevailed, she gave her life to save his."

She added, "She was full of life and full of love. She was a shining star. Even though she leaves four children motherless, we all plan to step up as a village and help raise those kids."