MONTANA – The dream of a professional baseball career for former player and coach Daniel Crago may be over after the 32-year-old was severely attacked by a grizzly bear in Glacier National Park.
The incident occurred on May 28 on the park's popular Grinnell Glacier trail. According to his family, Crago accidentally encountered a cub while hiking with friends. Immediately after, an adult grizzly bear charged and attacked him.
George Crago, the victim's father, stated that his son has been discharged from the hospital but still requires high-dose pain medication and continuous treatment appointments.
“My son is still in a lot of pain, and there’s a very long road to recovery ahead. This incident may have ended his baseball career,” he said.
According to his professional profile, Daniel Crago has worked for several Major League Baseball (MLB) organizations, including the Detroit Tigers and the San Diego Padres.
Following the attack, Crago shared on social media that he was grateful to be alive to tell his story.
According to the victim's account, while near the summit of the Grinnell Glacier trail, he spotted a large grizzly bear only about 4–5 meters away on the mountainside.
Crago stated that he followed safety guidelines for encountering bears in the wild, repeatedly shouting: “Hey bear!” to announce his presence and avoid startling the animal.
However, the bear looked directly at him and then suddenly charged.
“I thought it was over right then and there,” Crago recounted.
The animal bit fiercely into his right arm and dragged him for about 6 meters before fleeing down the mountain.
Doctors determined that Crago’s right arm was severely crushed. Many forearm bones were shattered, but fortunately, his wrist and elbow joints were not directly damaged.
After multiple surgeries in Montana, Crago has returned to San Diego to continue his treatment and rehabilitation.
His family is currently fundraising to help with medical expenses. As of June 10, the campaign was close to reaching its $60,000 goal.
Despite facing the risk of losing his athletic career, Crago affirmed that the incident would not make him abandon his passion for exploring nature.
