Ryan George, a 19-year-old wrestling standout from Santa Rosa, died Sunday after reportedly slipping and falling while hiking with friends near Illilouette Falls in Yosemite National Park. Just two days earlier, he had placed second at a wrestling tournament in Sacramento, capping what friends and coaches describe as a promising rise in the sport.
George was hiking near the falls when he reportedly slipped and fell to his death, according to the Press Democrat. He had graduated from Montgomery High School before becoming a wrestling standout at Santa Rosa Junior College, and was entering his second season with the program, according to a report from the San Francisco Chronicle.
A Breakout Freshman Season
George's rise on the mat had been swift. As a freshman at Santa Rosa Junior College, he competed at 197 pounds and finished third at the 2025 California Community College Athletic Association state championships, earning All-American honors along the way, the Chronicle reports. In high school, he'd won an individual North Bay League title at 217 pounds and finished second at the North Coast Section tournament during his senior season, per the same account.
Just two days before his death, George was in Sacramento competing at the Dave Pacheco Invitational at Sacramento City College. He placed second individually there and helped lead Santa Rosa Junior College to a second-place team finish, the Press Democrat notes. Results posted by tech-fall.com confirm the second-place finish at that meet.
Coach Remembers a Leader On and Off the Mat
Fred Duerr, head wrestling coach at Santa Rosa Junior College, described George as one of the most genuine, positive people you could ever meet, and called him an amazing leader and wrestler, according to the Chronicle. George had also worked with younger wrestlers in the program, the outlet reports.
Beyond the mat, George had talked about studying to become a firefighter, though there was also talk of him competing at a four-year university, per the Press Democrat. He was born on Aug. 28, 2007, and grew up in Santa Rosa with his older sister, Jaida, according to the same report. A GoFundMe account has been established for Jaida, the outlet notes.
Yosemite's Rising Rescue Numbers
George's death comes amid a documented rise in search-and-rescue activity across Yosemite. The park's search and rescue team responded to 247 incidents in 2025, up from 191 the year before, according to the Fresno Bee. Of the 13 deaths recorded in 2025, eight were accidental and four resulted from natural causes such as heart attacks or preexisting conditions, the outlet reports, and rescuers recovered nine bodies that year.
Lower-extremity injuries from slips and falls while hiking ranked among the five most common reasons visitors needed rescuing in 2024, per the Fresno Bee's reporting. The park drew roughly 2.9 million summer visitors in 2025, a 7% jump from the prior year, the outlet adds.
The Chronicle reports that Yosemite officials have not provided details about the fatality, and that the National Park Service does not comment on fatalities under investigation.
