Ethan Erickson St. Louis Post-Dispatch

For Max Thomas, stargazing was more than a hobby. It allowed him to connect with “ something vast and beautiful .”

Thomas, of Springfield, Missouri, didn’t even use a tent on a recent trip to the Sam’s Throne Recreation Area in northwest Arkansas, preferring to sleep under the stars.

But after a few days, his son, Andrew, became concerned after he hadn’t heard from his father, who had earlier sent photos of a bear in his camp to family members. He called the authorities.

When a Newton County sheriff’s deputy arrived, Thomas, 60, wasn’t in his camp. There was evidence of a struggle and drag marks leading into the woods.

Thomas was found about 180 feet from his campsite, dead of an apparent bear attack that authorities believe happened in broad

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