Diver memorial and recognition event held at Roaring River State Park
October 18, 2023
Photo and story by Adriana Keeton, [email protected]
Gordan and Linda Hahn, parents of Eric, spoke about Eric’s life and love for the outdoors at the event.
What began as an exploration into the mysteries of the Roaring River Spring at Roaring River State Park in May of 2021 ended in tragedy a year ago this past weekend, with the death of KISS Rebreathers Exploration Diver Eric Hahn at the spring cave site.
Family, friends, community members, and the KISS Dive Team gathered at the Emory Melton Inn and Conference Center on Saturday alongside Missouri State Parks representatives to memorialize Hahn and recognize the team for their achievements of mapping the Spring and producing underwater footage of the exploration dives, which gave the Spring the title of the deepest cave spring in the nation at 472 feet. (Brett Hemphill with the KUR Dive Team recently broke that record at the Phantom Springs Cave in West Texas at 570 feet, tragically losing his life a few weeks ago.) The dive team reached the record depth at Roaring River in November of 2021, but all exploration of the Spring was halted after Hahn’s death in October 2022, with no bottom found, so it is still a mystery how deep the Spring is.
The Roaring River KISS Exploration Dive Team included Hahn, KISS Rebreathers owner and Lead Diver Mike Young, Charles Walker, Jon Lillestolen, Mike Henry, Greg Ables, Neil Brownlow, Randall Purdy, and the only female on the dive team, Gayle Orner. Several team members spoke at the memorial about Hahn’s upbeat humor, positivity, and dedication as a diver.
Sheila Harris, reporter with the Cassville Democrat and friend of dive team members, opened the memorial for Hahn with the history of the dive team’s exploration of the Spring and her account of the day Hahn lost his life and how it has affected her over the last year.
Linda and Gordon Hahn, parents of Eric, spoke about his life and his natural need to explore from a young age, his genuine personality, giving spirit, and the legacy he will leave behind.
The first public viewing of the short documentary filmed by the dive team, Abyssal: The Exploration of Roaring River Spring, was shown. The documentary will be used at the nature center within the park.
In 2022, Texas A&M marine biologist Dr. Fernando Calderon Gutierrez joined the team to study the biology of the cave fauna, more specifically, the DNA and species of isopods and amphipods, and how weather affects the minute creatures that inhabit the Spring. Samples were taken by Gutierrez back to the Texas university for study, and he gave an overview of his findings at the event in Hahn’s memory.
Justin Adams, representative for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Ozarks Region, discussed DNR’s plan to display the new mapping of the cave at the nature center and at the spring cave location and the installation of a bench in Hahn’s memory near the Spring at the Deer Leap trailhead.
To further expand Hahn’s legacy and his love for all things outdoors, the Eric Hahn Scholarship for Roaring River Outdoor Education has been set up. Donations can be made at www.cfozarks.org/donate. Type “Hahn” in the “other funds” search box. The Scholarship funds will cover the cost of one family each year to attend the annual Bass Pro Shop’s Wonders of Wildlife (WOW) School held at Roaring River State Park.
Family, friends, community members, and the KISS Dive Team gathered at the Emory Melton Inn and Conference Center on Saturday alongside Missouri State Parks representatives to memorialize Hahn and recognize the team for their achievements of mapping the Spring and producing underwater footage of the exploration dives, which gave the Spring the title of the deepest cave spring in the nation at 472 feet. (Brett Hemphill with the KUR Dive Team recently broke that record at the Phantom Springs Cave in West Texas at 570 feet, tragically losing his life a few weeks ago.) The dive team reached the record depth at Roaring River in November of 2021, but all exploration of the Spring was halted after Hahn’s death in October 2022, with no bottom found, so it is still a mystery how deep the Spring is.
The Roaring River KISS Exploration Dive Team included Hahn, KISS Rebreathers owner and Lead Diver Mike Young, Charles Walker, Jon Lillestolen, Mike Henry, Greg Ables, Neil Brownlow, Randall Purdy, and the only female on the dive team, Gayle Orner. Several team members spoke at the memorial about Hahn’s upbeat humor, positivity, and dedication as a diver.
Sheila Harris, reporter with the Cassville Democrat and friend of dive team members, opened the memorial for Hahn with the history of the dive team’s exploration of the Spring and her account of the day Hahn lost his life and how it has affected her over the last year.
Linda and Gordon Hahn, parents of Eric, spoke about his life and his natural need to explore from a young age, his genuine personality, giving spirit, and the legacy he will leave behind.
The first public viewing of the short documentary filmed by the dive team, Abyssal: The Exploration of Roaring River Spring, was shown. The documentary will be used at the nature center within the park.
In 2022, Texas A&M marine biologist Dr. Fernando Calderon Gutierrez joined the team to study the biology of the cave fauna, more specifically, the DNA and species of isopods and amphipods, and how weather affects the minute creatures that inhabit the Spring. Samples were taken by Gutierrez back to the Texas university for study, and he gave an overview of his findings at the event in Hahn’s memory.
Justin Adams, representative for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Ozarks Region, discussed DNR’s plan to display the new mapping of the cave at the nature center and at the spring cave location and the installation of a bench in Hahn’s memory near the Spring at the Deer Leap trailhead.
To further expand Hahn’s legacy and his love for all things outdoors, the Eric Hahn Scholarship for Roaring River Outdoor Education has been set up. Donations can be made at www.cfozarks.org/donate. Type “Hahn” in the “other funds” search box. The Scholarship funds will cover the cost of one family each year to attend the annual Bass Pro Shop’s Wonders of Wildlife (WOW) School held at Roaring River State Park.
