An elderly cat survived a nearly 400-foot fall at a Utah national park last week, which tragically claimed the lives of her owners, authorities confirmed.
Matthew Nannen, 45, and Bailee Crane, 58, were found dead on April 29 in Bryce Canyon National Park. The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office reported that the bodies were discovered approximately 380 feet below a lookout spot.
Investigators believe the couple fell from Inspiration Point on April 28 or 29. While the cause of the fall remains unclear, authorities noted that Nannen and Crane had climbed over a railing between the trail and the cliff.
The couple was reportedly living out of a U-Haul truck, having traveled to Utah after spending significant time in Arizona. Their last known address was in Florida.
The cat, a 12-year-old female now named Mirage, was discovered alive in a soft-sided carrier covered in mud and dirt. Despite suffering from fractured ribs and being “sore and matted,” Mirage was taken to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.
The sanctuary reported that Mirage is eating and drinking on her own and is expected to make a full recovery with proper veterinary care. “She’s a very sweet girl and doing very well,” said Judah Battista, Best Friends’ chief sanctuary officer, calling her survival “remarkable.”
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