Animal trainer Stephan Miller tragically lost his life during the filming of a promotional video after a play-wrestling stunt with a bear went horribly wrong. The 39-year-old was at his cousin Randy Miller’s animal training center, Predators in Action, located in the San Bernardino Mountains, east of Los Angeles. Although Stephan was no longer working as a trainer at the time, he was called upon to assist with the shoot due to his previous experience with bears.

The bear involved in the incident, Rocky, a 7.5-foot, 700-pound grizzly, had been trained to wrestle humans and had previously appeared in the 2008 film Semi-Pro, where Randy acted as a body double for Will Ferrell. Despite the bear’s training and Stephan’s familiarity with the animal, the planned wrestling stunt went tragically awry. Rocky was supposed to “playfully” wrestle Stephan, but the bear unexpectedly bit him on the neck, a vulnerable area.

Randy and the team tried to intervene, using pepper spray to separate the bear from Stephan, but the attack happened so quickly that it was already too late. Stephan died within minutes from the severe bite. Paramedics arrived shortly after the incident but were unable to revive him.

The tragedy prompted investigations by the state Department of Fish and Game and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). While there were calls from animal rights groups to euthanize Rocky, the decision was made to spare the bear’s life. However, Rocky was prohibited from further work in film and television, and he could no longer have contact with anyone other than his trainers.

Randy Miller reflected on the incident, stating he didn’t blame the animal, acknowledging the inherent risks of working with wild animals. Hollywood filmmaker Nick Palumbo, a close friend of Stephan, expressed his grief, stating that while he would have sought justice if someone had killed Stephan, he did not believe Rocky intended to harm him.