The 33-Year-Old Hiker Was A Devoted Catholic Deacon
A 33-year-old hiker named Anthony Pollio went missing in the evening of May 3 while hiking in Glacier National Park in West Glacier, Montana.
A search was initiated, with many agencies assisting in efforts to locate Anthony, including Flathead County Search and Rescue, North Valley Search and Rescue, Montana Army National Guard, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Border Patrol, Malmstrom Air Force Base, National Park Service staff, and many others.
Three days later, on May 6, Anthony was tragically found dead.
His body was located on Mt. Brown Trail, with National Park Service adding that he was located approximately “50 feet off the trail in a densely wooded area with downed timber.”
The National Park Service went on to say that Anthony’s injuries were “consistent with those sustained by a bear encounter.”
Prior to this bear attack, the last fatal bear attack at Glacier National Park was in 1998.
Anthony’s Father Shares His Son’s Final Message
While the exact circumstances leading to Anthony’s death are still under investigation, his father, Arthur Pollio, spoke with NBC6 after his son was found dead.
Noting that Anthony was traveling with a friend, Arthur said that the were on a two-week road trip that included a hike through Glacier National Park.
“It was a road trip through central U.S., Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming to get to Montana, and I believe he pulled right into Glacier National Park,” Arthur said.
Continuing, Arthur then shared what his son texted him before his death:
“He texted me that evening, he says, ‘Dad, I’m hiking up a mountain. It’s wild out here … I love you, Dad,’ and that was the last message I received from him.”
As officials work to determine more of what led to Anthony’s death, Arthur was able to share some of what he had learned, saying, “Based from the coroner’s report on his injuries, we believe he came across a grizzly bear, and he used all of his bear spray. Because they went back there even several days later when they found him in that area was very odorous from the bear spray.”
Speaking on his son, Arthur concluded his remarks to NBC6, stating, “He was a warrior. He was a gladiator. He was a Viking. He would never give up.”
According to his father, Anthony was from Davie, Florida, but most recently called Sebring, Florida, his home. It was there that he served as a deacon at his church, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
He was a graduate of University of Central Florida and played soccer for the Archdiocese of Miami.
