A walk along a North Texas trail ended in tragedy after a visually impaired woman apparently slipped into White Rock Creek and died, according to her pastor. Gwen McTernen, 66, was a mother and grandmother who lived in Richardson. McTernen had been a member of Messiah Lutheran Church for more than 20 years, said the Rev. Victor Kollmann. “I call her a wonderful gift from God to all of us because everybody who knew her, she made a difference in their lives, and we’ll miss her a lot,” Kollmann said. Kollmann described McTernen as a strong woman of faith who rarely missed a Wednesday service at the church in North Texas. “Amazing woman because she was blind pretty much her whole life,” Kollmann said. “[She] was so independent, like every day, every other day she went walking.” Kollmann said McTernen took DART to Dallas on Saturday for a walk along the White Rock Creek Trail. McTernen’s daughter wrote on Facebook that she lost communication with her mother after McTernen embarked on a trail hike. Her last known location was near Harry Moss Park at about 8 a.m. Saturday. Missing person flyers remained posted at the park on Wednesday, but the search for McTernen ended Monday evening when Richardson police say someone at the park reported a deceased body. Dallas Fire-Rescue said crews were called to the 8500 block of Walnut Hill Lane in Dallas after a body was found in a creek bottom. Authorities later identified the body as McTernen. Police say no foul play is suspected. “She used a cane to walk because she was blind, and they think somehow she slipped off the sidewalk and just fell because it was right off a steep slope and just slipped because it was so wet, just slipped down the slope into the water,” Kollmann said. Faith helped guide McTernen through life without sight. Now, fellow parishioners say they are holding onto that same faith as they remember her. “There’s no doubt we’ll all see her again in heaven,” Kollmann said. Authorities say the cause and manner of death have not been determined. ...read more read less