Horrific way woman watched husband die

A devastated wife has detailed how she watched her husband die on a dream holiday doing what he loved best.

A woman whose husband fell to his death off a cliff next to her has spoken about the horrifying moment she realised he was dead.

Emma Heritage was climbing in the Banff National Park, in Canada, with husband Daniel when he lost his footing and fell off a cliff next to where she was clipped to an anchor.

She said felt a slackening of the rope that connected them and when she turned she saw Daniel roll off the cliff.

“He landed near where I was, it just happened, he didn’t yell or make any noise,” she told the Advertiser.

Adelaide couple Emma and Daniel Heritage. Daniel died in a rock climbing accident in Canada. (Supplied)

“There was a lot of bleeding from his mouth, he very quickly lost consciousness and he wasn’t responsive.”

Ms Heritage, who was 28 at the time, was able to call 911 but by the time paramedics arrived it was too late.

“I knew when the rescuers first directed the plan to get me down before Daniel,” she said.

“I think that was probably one of the most heartbreaking moments for me because I had to step away from him.”

Unbeknownst to Ms Heritage, Daniel’s death was just the beginning of her horror ordeal.

There was the need for a Coroner’s Report in Canada to rule out “foul play” as she was the only witness to the tragedy that took place two years ago.

The couple were on a dream two-year trip. (Supplied)

Daniel was an experienced climber. (Supplied)

Then she discovered that their insurance only covered travel and not death meaning she had to stump up the money to bring him home to Adelaide.

Luckily her sister set up a GoFundMe page which was able to raise $42,830 of the $50,000 she needed to bring his body back and cover other costs.

It was a tragic end to what was supposed to be a dream two year trip for the couple, who met when they were 18.

“I was pretty keen to get Daniel back home to his family but it was funny, I had this conflict, leaving Canada was farewelling this adventure and my most recent memories, they were such fresh memories, it felt like I was leaving him behind,” she said.

Ms Heritage returned to Canada last year to try and get some closure after her terrible loss.

But when she returned to the spot where Daniel slipped she couldn’t understand how it happened.

They were both experienced climbers and the route was not, by their standards, difficult.

“I re-climbed the place where it happened. I thought it would be really emotional and I would be a puddle of tears but it was actually when I climbed above where he fell that it was frustration that I felt,” she said.

“I couldn’t see why he fell and I couldn’t understand how I could be OK and he wasn’t. I’m never going to know … I guess I’ll have to just come to terms with that and just continue to miss him.”