Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 17
Rex Schowengerdt, 72, Dies 5 Days After Falling Rock Pierces Jeep in Glacier National Park
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 17

Rex Schowengerdt, 72, Dies 5 Days After Falling Rock Pierces Jeep in Glacier National Park

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 17

Summary

  • Rex Schowengerdt, a 72-year-old Missouri man, died July 16 after a falling rock punched through his Jeep roof and struck his head on July 11 in Glacier National Park.
  • Park officials said the accident happened at Rimrocks on the 50-mile Going-to-the-Sun Road, where steep alpine terrain and towering rock faces can produce dangerous rockfall.
  • Schowengerdt suffered a catastrophic brain injury, was airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital, and died after several days in intensive care, according to his family.
  • Flathead County's coroner ruled the death accidental; his daughter said the family later chose cremation because bringing him home from Montana was too costly.
  • His family said Schowengerdt's donated eyes and tissues helped restore the vision of two people, offering some comfort after the fatal crash.

Insights

How did a relatively small falling rock manage to pierce a hardtop Jeep roof and cause a catastrophic tragedy in Glacier National Park?
What invisible geological triggers turn a scenic drive on Going-to-the-Sun Road into a sudden, fatal rockfall zone for unsuspecting tourists?