LAS VEGAS, NV – A freak accident claimed the life of Tom Lorig, a national park ranger at Bryce Canyon National Park, during an astronomy festival Friday night.
As per the report from the National Park Service, the unfortunate incident occurred when Lorig tripped and hit his head on a large rock while directing a visitor to a shuttle bus, around 11:30 PM.
A nearby law enforcement ranger received notification about Lorig being unresponsive from the visitor who found him. Efforts to revive him, involving National Park Service rangers, local EMS, and medically trained bystanders, sadly proved unsuccessful.
Park Superintendent Jim Ireland expressed condolences to Lorig’s friends and family as they mourn this unfortunate loss. He also extended his gratitude to the National Park Service, Garfield County emergency services staff, and bystanders who assisted NPS in responding to the incident.
Lorig’s professional journey integrated a 40-year stint as a registered nurse in Seattle and over ten years of service as a permanent, seasonal, and volunteer park ranger. He initiated his collaboration with the National Park Service at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in June 1968 and later worked across 14 national park sites, including Badlands, Bryce Canyon, Klondike Gold Rush, Mount Rainier, Yosemite, Zion, and Dinosaur National Monument.