Bryce Canyon ranger dies in work accident at annual astronomy festival – Iron County Today

By Peter Densmore, National Parks Service

BRYCE, UT – A ranger at Bryce Canyon National Park has died as a result of a fall while on the job. At approximately 11:30 p.m. on Friday, June 7, Park Ranger Tom Lorig was busy with park visitors at Bryce Canyon’s annual astronomy festival. While guiding a visitor to a shuttle bus, Ranger Lorig fell and struck his head on a large rock. When the visitor found him unresponsive, he immediately notified a nearby police ranger. National Park Rangers, medically trained bystanders and local emergency responders worked together to perform life-saving measures but were unable to revive Ranger Lorig. He was 78 years old.

“Tom Lorig served Bryce Canyon, the National Park Service and the public as a park ranger, building connections between the world and these special places he loved,” said Park Supervisor Jim Ireland“As our community processes and mourns this terrible loss, we extend our deepest condolences to Ranger Lorig’s family and friends. We also want to thank the National Park Service and Garfield County emergency responders who responded, as well as bystanders who assisted NPS first responders.”

Ranger Tom Lorig worked for 40 years as a nurse in the Seattle, Washington area and for over 10 years as a permanent, seasonal, and volunteer park ranger. He began working with the National Park Service at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in June 1968. Over the next few decades, he served 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 his favorite Dinosaur National Monument.