Ben Stevens.Photo: DAVID J SHEAKLEY/AP/Shutterstock
Former Alaska politician Ben Stevens died late last week at the age of 63, after suffering a medical emergency while hiking near Seward.
On Thursday evening Alaska State Troopers, U.S. Forest Service officers and medics were dispatched to the Chugach National Forest to respond to areport of a hiker needing CPRon the Lost Lake Trail. Life-saving measures were unsuccessful, according to online dispatch records, and the deceased hiker was later identified as Stevens.
Stevens served in the Alaska state Senate from 2001 to 2007, working his way up to Senate majority leader and then Senate president. In the years since he left the state Senate, he had stints as a member of theRepublican National Committee, chief of staff for Alaska Gov.Mike Dunleavyand, most recently, vice president of external affairs and transportation for oil producer ConocoPhillips.
Though Stevens was never charged with a crime, his father was indicted — and later found guilty — in connection with the same investigation, for failing to properly report gifts.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.
“Ben’s unexpected passing will be felt across all of Alaska. He was a friend of mine and a valued leader of our state,” Alaska Rep.Mary Peltola, who served in the state House during Stevens' tenure in state government,tweeted on Friday. “I’m glad to have just had lunch with Ben on Wednesday. I will cherish that time with him. My thoughts and prayers are with his family during these tough times. They lost him too early.”
source: people.com
