A feline fall survivor is recovering at a Utah animal sanctuary after tourists spotted her following a nearly 400-foot fall that claimed the lives of her owners.
The couple and their cat, named Mirage, went over the viewpoint in Bryce Canyon on April 29, according to press releases.
Wade Mathews, spokesperson for the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office told Newsweek by phone Monday that other tourists spotted the bodies of the couple, who climbed a railing before the fall.
The pair was identified as Matthew Nannen, 45, and Bailee Crane, 58, in a press release.
As for the 12-year-old tabby, she is now being treated for two broken ribs while shelter employees determine if the extended family of the couple plans to take her in.
“She’s very, very sweet,” Judah Battista, Best Friends chief Sanctuary officer told Newsweek over the phone Monday, adding, “She’s recovering well and enjoys the attention of the care staff.”
Context
The viewpoint where the couple fell receives thousands of visitors a day, according to a spokesperson for Bryce Canyon National Park.
A rail surrounds the viewpoint, and no other deaths have been reported, the spokesperson told Newsweek.
The park features columns of rock, also known as hoodoos, and sits about 130 miles northwest of St. George, Utah, the website shows.
What To Know
It appears the couple climbed over a railing before their fall, Mathews told Newsweek.
“There was snow on the ground which would have made the clay slippery,” Mathews explained. “They had gone over the railing; they had climbed over the railing intentionally. Whether it was slippery or intentional we don’t know.”
Crane and Nannen were living in a U-Haul truck, and their last known residency was listed in Florida, a press release from the sheriff’s office said. They had previously traveled to Arizona and were staying in Utah.
The recovery of the pair was completed by the Garfield County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team, Bryce Canyon Park Rangers and the Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau, the press release said, adding that the pilot of the DPS helicopter “was especially helpful in ensuring the safety of the rest of the responders.”
The cat was found in a soft carrier and quickly taken to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary nearby where she received a full medical workup that included bloodwork, X-rays and an exam by a veterinarian, Battista told Newsweek.
Battista said Mirage is “getting a lot of attention but not allowed to do a lot of exercise. She’s in very good spirits.”
“She’s not been very picky. She likes it quiet, and she likes attention, but I think she’s found the whole experience overwhelming for obvious reasons,” he explained.
What People Are Saying
Garfield County Sheriff Eric Houston said in a press release, ” Anyone recreating in the outdoors should use caution, don’t exceed skill levels, observe and obey signs and safety measures such as railing, and stay safe.”
Judah Battista, Best Friends chief Sanctuary officer on the family of the deceased: “Our hearts go out to them while they sort through their tragedy.”
What Happens Next
Mathews said the cause of the deaths was the fall, but the manner has not yet been determined. There was no note left, he told Newsweek. The viewpoint remains open.
The extended family of Mirage’s owners has been in contact with the Sanctuary, but it is unclear where she will go when she has fully recovered.
Battiste says right now, Mirage is on restricted activity for at least the next 6 weeks while she recovers from two broken ribs and broken teeth.
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