A ranger died at Bryce Canyon National Park in a nighttime fall during the annual Astronomy Festival/NPS
A ranger at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah has died from injuries sustained after tripping and falling while on-duty during the park's annual Astronomy Festival.
According to a park release, Ranger Tom Lorig, 78, was directing a visitor to a shuttle bus about 11:30 p.m. Friday when he fell and hit his head on a large rock. The visitor notified a nearby law enforcement ranger, and rangers, medically-trained bystanders, and local EMS personnel attempted but were unable to revive the ranger.
“Tom Lorig served Bryce Canyon, the National Park Service, and the public as an interpretive park ranger, forging connections between the world and these special places that he loved,” said Bryce Canyon Superintendent Jim Ireland, “As our community processes and grieves this terrible loss, we extend our deepest condolences to all of Ranger Lorig’s family and friends. We also want to express gratitude to the National Park Service and Garfield County emergency services staff who responded as well as to the bystanders who assisted NPS first responders.”
Lorig served for 40 years as a registered nurse in the Seattle, Washington area, and for over 10 years as a permanent, seasonal, and volunteer park ranger. He began his work with the National Park Service at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in June of 1968. In the decades that followed, he would serve at 14 national park sites including Badlands, Bryce Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, El Malpais, Florissant Fossil Beds, Glen Canyon, Klondike Gold Rush, Mount Rainier, New River Gorge, Olympic, Saguaro, Yosemite, Zion, and Dinosaur National Monument.
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Comments
Truly a sad day. Thoughts go out to his family, friends and co-workers.
So sad to hear! It sounds like he passed while doing something that he loved. Rest in peace.
My condolences to Mr. Lorig's family and friends. He served many years with the National Park Service, and he will be missed.
Sad to hear, so sorry for the loss of a true outdoorsman who loved nature, educating and helping people enjoy nature.
We are so fortunate to have amazing people like Mr Loring dedicate long stretches of their lives back to our national parks. We can't repay his service but he will be missed.
My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. Takes a special person to service a park ranger you give voice to park by telling it's story and by protecting it. Mr Lorin will greatly missed within Ranger community.