An animal trainer tragically lost his life after being fatally attacked by a grizzly bear he had raised since childhood during a stunt gone wrong.
Stephan Miller, aged 39, was assisting at his cousin’s animal training center, Randy Miller’s Predators in Action, located in the San Bernardino mountains near Los Angeles, USA, when the incident occurred.
During the filming of a promotional video with Rocky, a 7.5ft tall grizzly weighing approximately 50 stone, Stephan, with his expertise in bears and show business, was involved in the shoot. The grizzly, a five-year-old, had been accustomed to interacting with humans and had previously appeared in the 2008 comedy Semi-Pro, with Stephan serving as a body double for Will Ferrell.
On the day of the tragic event in 2008, as they were shooting an advertisement, Rocky suddenly attacked Stephan by lunging at his neck, taking him by surprise and causing a fatal bite in a vulnerable area.
Prompt actions by handlers utilizing pepper spray subdued the bear and swiftly removed Rocky from the scene, while medical responders rushed to the location. Despite efforts to save him, Stephan succumbed to his injuries shortly after the attack, leaving behind a wife and two children.
Randy recounted to the Associated Press the swift and unfortunate turn of events, stating, “It happened so fast. We did what we had to do to stop the bear. It took a matter of seconds to get him off, but it was too late.”
With over 25 years of experience in raising exotic animals and specializing in staged attacks, Randy detailed the events leading up to the incident, explaining that Stephan had been interacting and bonding with the bear throughout the day, setting up the scene for a wrestling match between them.
Following the incident, investigations were launched by the state’s Department of Fish and Game and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to determine the circumstances. Despite initial uncertainties on the fate of the bear, pressure from animal rights advocates led to Rocky being spared and relocated to an animal sanctuary in California, ensuring his safety.
The Predators in Action facility housed various exotic animals, including two brown bears, a black bear, snakes, reptiles, an alligator, crocodile, leopard, mountain lion, four African lions, and four tigers.
Hollywood filmmaker Nick Palumbo, a close acquaintance of Stephan and Randy, expressed his grief over the incident, emphasizing Stephan’s affection for the bear and their close bond.
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