A 19-year-old college wrestler from California, Ryan George, has tragically fallen to his death while hiking near a waterfall in Yosemite National Park. According to reports, George was hiking with friends near Illilouette Falls on Sunday when he slipped and fell to his death. The waterfall, which is approximately 370 feet tall, is a year-round attraction for visitors. Ryan George’s wrestling team at Santa Rosa Junior College, located about an hour northwest of San Francisco, shared the sad news in a Facebook post, stating that George passed away following an accident. Details about what led to the fall or the immediate aftermath of the incident remain unclear. The Independent has contacted the National Park Service and the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office for further information. Ryan George began wrestling during his freshman year of high school. Initially, he was a football player at Montgomery High School in Santa Rosa but was too heavy to join the wrestling team. He worked hard to lose weight and eventually joined the wrestling team, where he won an individual North Bay League title. At Santa Rosa Junior College, he earned All-American honors as a freshman and, just days before his death, placed second at the Dave Pacheco Invitational meet at Sacramento City College. Ryan’s older sister, Jaida, shared her thoughts with The Press Democrat, saying it was rewarding to watch her brother discover his passion for wrestling. She recalled that he was always active and playful as a child. Tragically, their father passed away when Ryan was a baby, and their mother died just weeks before Ryan’s accident. A GoFundMe page created in Jaida’s name highlighted the family’s grief, noting that they lost their mother, Taji, in July and now face the loss of Ryan, who was just 19. The page also mentioned that Jaida is coping with the sudden deaths of two loved ones, while also adjusting to being a new mother to her two-month-old son. The GoFundMe campaign, which was set up to support Jaida during this difficult time, had already raised more than $9,000 by Wednesday. The community has shown support for the family, who are dealing with the emotional weight of multiple losses in a short period.