Star California Bakery Chef, 26, Dies in Freak Hiking Accident in Hawaii

Gianna Buzzetta was struck by a falling rock along a trail near Kapa’a, Kauai. Family and colleagues are raising funds to pay for funeral services.

Kalalau Lookout provides a sweeping view over the historic Hawaiian Valley and Napali Coast. Photo courtesy of Kauai Visitors Bureau

Family and friends were coping this week with the tragic death of a rising young executive pastry chef who worked in Southern California, and plan to host a special dinner service to raise funds for her funeral April 7.

Gianna Isabella Buzzetta, 26, worked at the prestigious French restaurant Jeune et Jolie in Carlsbad, Calif.—a coastal city about 85 miles south of Los Angeles—where she helped owners earn three Michelin stars.

Her life was cut short in a freak accident when a falling rock struck her in the head as she was hiking along a trail with her boyfriend March 23, according to an official report.

Rescuers with the Kauai Fire Department responded to the report of an injured hiker on the Makaleha Falls Trail just after 2 p.m., according to a press release.

Buzzetta was on vacation with the “forever love of her life” Connor Quinton, who ran a great distance to get her help. A couple from Norway came to his assistance, according to her family.

According to a preliminary report, Buzzetta fell unconscious after she was struck by the rock.

First responders arrived at the trail in a helicopter and set up a landing zone near the trailhead.

The rescuers found Buzzetta at the base of a waterfall. She was unconscious, with “labored breathing and heavy bleeding” from a head wound, the department reported.

Buzzetta was loaded into the helicopter and taken to the landing zone, where firefighters and paramedics cared for her. She was transferred to Wilcox Medical Center on the island. She died the next day, according to her family.

The popular Makaleha Falls Trail is a five-mile hike near Kapa’a, Kauai, and is considered a highly challenging route that should be attempted only by experienced hikers. The trail is not marked all the way through, but leads to the waterfall on the way out. Hikers encounter a creek that they must cross several times, according to alltrails.com, a website that helps outdoor enthusiasts navigate trails.

“Gianna was our former pastry chef, and our friend,” the restaurant posted on social media Tuesday. “She brought such joy, intensity, passion, and love to this restaurant and to our team. Her sudden loss leaves all of us heartbroken and searching for ways to be of help to her family.”

The restaurant is planning to hold a dinner Monday to raise funds for Buzzetta’s family.

The Napali coast on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. Hawaii Tourism Authority/Tor Johnson

Buzzetta’s family set up an online fundraising page to cover medical expenses, life-flight medical rescue transportation, emergency travel flights for the family, and funeral services.

The family had raised more than $48,000 by Thursday afternoon.

“Gianna’s passion for life was evident in her love of family, friends, colleagues, and those in need,” her family wrote. “She enjoyed volunteering at animal rescue shelters and desired happiness for others above herself.”

Her family said Buzzetta mastered her talents at Juene et Jolie and “poured herself, her love, and creativity into everything she brought to the table.”