Cat survives apparent fall at Bryce Canyon National Park after 2 found dead
Cat survives apparent fall at Bryce Canyon National Park after 2 found dead
A cat has seemingly survived a fall at Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah and is recovering after two people died after falling from a viewing area, officials told USA TODAY.
According to Judah Battista, Chief Sanctuary Officer at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, the cat is an approximately 12-year-old tabby, which they have named Mirage.
Battista said they were told the cat was found inside a "black soft-sided carrier that was dirty and torn."
The cat was found near the bodies of 45-year-old Matthew Nannen and 58-year-old Bailee Crane, who were identified by police, according to a press release from the Garfield County Sheriff's Office sent to USA TODAY.
"Remarkably, she has a couple of fractured ribs and the tips of her two canine teeth are broken, but other than that, her blood work came back normal. She is eating and drinking on her own," Battista said.
Battista expects that Mirage will make a full recovery, despite the large fall.
"She's a very sweet girl doing very well," he said. "It's really remarkable."
Two people die after apparent fall at Bryce Canyon
According to police, Crane and Nannen fell approximately 380 feet down a cliff after climbing over the railing at Inspiration Point inside the park. Police said they did not know the cause of the fall.
Police said tourists spotted the bodies of two people on April 29, below Inspiration Point.
Officials said that the two people were living in a U-Haul rental and were last known to be permanent Florida residents before traveling to Utah "after spending a significant amount of time in Arizona."
The Garfield County Sheriff's Office did not immediately confirm to USA TODAY on May 1 if Mirage was owned by the deceased pair.
Other recent deaths at Bryce Canyon National Park
In June 2024, 78-year-old ranger Tom Lorig died due to injuries he sustained after he tripped and fell while on duty.
Tom Lorig was working with park visitors, directing them to a shuttle bus at Bryce Canyon's annual Astronomy Festival, when he fell and struck his head on a large rock, the National Park Service said in a news release.
A visitor found Lorig unresponsive and immediately alerted a law enforcement ranger. Park rangers, medically trained bystanders, and local EMS personnel provided Lorig with initial lifesaving care but were unable to revive him, NPS said.
In 2023, Jeanne Roblez Howell, 64, an Arizona teacher considered "an experienced and enthusiastic hiker," was found dead in Campbell Canyon, after being missing for days.
Contributing: Saman Shafiq and Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
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