Cat Survives 400-Foot National Park Fall That Killed 2 Hikers
Early this month, a Florida couple, Matthew Nannen, 45, and Bailee Crane, 58, were found dead on April 29, roughly 380 feet below Inspiration Point, at Bryce Canyon National Park. According to the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office reported by The Associated Press, investigators believe the couple had crossed a safety railing before falling from the cliff’s edge. The circumstances leading to the fall are still under active investigation.
However, amid the heartbreak, a small miracle happened: Mirage, the couple’s 12-year-old tabby cat, was discovered alive inside a battered soft-sided pet carrier.The cat was taken in by Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and in a news release the sanctuary said that despite fractured ribs and broken teeth, the feline is expected to fully recover.
“She’s a tough little survivor,” said Judah Battista, chief sanctuary officer at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in nearby Kanab, Utah, where Mirage is receiving care. “Her injuries were serious, but she’s already eating, drinking, and her bloodwork is encouraging. It’s truly remarkable she made it.”
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is known as one of the nation’s largest no-kill animal rescue organizations. Meanwhile authorities are still working to contact the victims’ families, and no adoption decisions will be made until their relatives have been notified.
Related: 2 Dead at Iconic National Park After Bypassing Safety Features