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The Cullerton family is grieving after 47-year-old Bruce Cullerton was attacked and killed by a Jaguar near his home at mile 28½ on the Western Highway. The Jaguar, which was being kept in a cage by Cullerton’s neighbor Richard Foster as a photographic subject, escaped during hurricane Richard after a tree fell on the cat’s cage setting it free.
Since then the animal has been roaming the area and Foster says he spotted the cat at around 10 on Monday night near Cullerton’s home. He says he called out to the feline and it made its way towards his home and into his car park. He was unable to secure the cat however. The following morning, on Tuesday October 26 one of Cullerton’s friends came looking for him but was unable to find him. He then called on Foster who had also not seen Cullerton. They then both went looking for Cullerton, his body was found a couple feet from his gate. He had been bitten to the neck, head and hand and had died on the spot. Cullerton had visited Foster on Monday and had been at the house for a while checking on the internet. He left in the evening and was killed sometime thereafter.
Foster does not know the exact time of the attack and could not say if the jaguar, known as Max, attacked Cullerton before or after he spotted it at around 10 on Monday night. There is now a hunt for the Jaguar and Jaguar Researcher Omar Figueroa has been enlisted to assist in that endeavour. He says that because the animal has been kept in captivity it is likely that it will return to the area where it was kept. Foster has been keeping Jaguars for at least ten years; this most recent one is three years old and has been kept for a year and a half.
Bruce Cullerton was a diesel mechanic who has been living in Belize for the past 18 years; 15 of those years he’s lived at mile 28 ½. He was scheduled to leave the country on Tuesday October 26 for the U.S. for treatment of diabetes.
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Tim Modine
Sunrise: April 5, 1963
Sunset: October 25, 2010
"Courage is not a lack of fear, but the ability to act while facing fear."
Bruce was born in Seattle, Washington, on April 5, 1963, and moved to Yakima with his family in 1976. He attended Wilson Junior High School and graduated from Eisenhower High School in 1981. During his pre-teen and teen years his favorite, all-consuming hobby was "dirt bike" competition. And thus began a life-long interest in "things that go fast". This hobby then led to car racing competition at the Yakima Speedway, which he enjoyed for a number of years. In 1988, a vacation trip to the country of Belize changed his life. He fell in love with this small, beautiful country. He moved there permanently in 1993, and established an automotive and engine repair business. He continued his residence in Belize from then until the time of his death on October 25, 2010.
Bruce never lost his passion for "things that go fast". Life in Belize opened up boundless opportunities for extreme kayaking on the Belizean rivers and adventure-packed sailing trips on the Caribbean. He also enjoyed fishing for barracuda off the coast of Belize. Caving and providing guide services to nearby Mayan sites became yet another outlet for his energies. In the tropical world that is Belize, Bruce's wide-ranging pursuits allowed his adventurous spirit to soar.
Bruce had a deep well of personal courage, and walked where others might fear to tread. In this vein, he also met head-on the challenges and adversities that came into his life. An acquaintance, Bruce Morgan, an explorer and naturalist, upon hearing of Bruce's death, wrote "Bruce Cullerton was the toughest strongest guy I have ever met in my entire life. He feared nothing . . ." For Bruce's family and friends in the United States as well as in Belize, it became an adventure itself just hearing about his adventures on land, on rivers and on the coastal waters.
Bruce is survived by his father, J. Brian Cullerton of Dangriga, Belize, and his mother and stepfather, Ann and Clay Gerstenberger of Yakima, Washington; his sisters, Maureen Cullerton Brogoitti (Butch) of Kahlotus, Washington, and Kerry Cullerton Bass (Mike) of Pasco, Washington, and stepsister, Judy Gerstenberger of Walnut Creek, California; his brother, Tony Cullerton (Dawn) of Federal Way, Washington, and stepbrother David Gerstenberger (Tina) of Yakima; nieces Taylor Ann Clark of Seattle, and Brittney Clark of Yakima; his aunt, Stasia Huck of Kirkland, Washington; and uncles, Bruce Cullerton of Honolulu, Hawaii, and John Lange of Spokane, Washington; and by other family and relatives in both the U.S. and Belize. Bruce was predeceased by his stepmother, Bridget Lambert Cullerton.
Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral, Belmopan, Belize, on Sunday, November 7th, with a riverside service following.
Given his love for Belize, and given his struggles managing his diabetes in a country where medical resources are few, Bruce's family has established a charitable fund in his memory. It will be administered by the Belize Diabetes Association and set up to distribute diabetic glucometers & test strips within Belize. The first shipment of supplies is expected to leave the United States enroute to Belize in early November.
In the United States, those who wish to contribute to this memorial fund may do so through the "Bruce Cullerton Memorial Fund", c/o US Bank, 5601 Summitview, Yakima, Washington, 98908.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.