Tourists Rubbed This Storied Grand Canyon Statue For Luck, Now They're Hoping It Can Rise From The Ashes

Arizona is a geologically diverse state whose multiple national parks awe millions of people each year. Unfortunately, the summer of 2025 has shown just how much Arizona wildfires can affect travelers' plans to visit places like Grand Canyon National Park, where the fires have been most severe. These wildfires, considered some of the most destructive to ever hit the national park, have decimated the canyon's North Rim, and even burned down Arizona's historic Grand Canyon Lodge. 

While hundreds of people were thankfully evacuated from the lodge safely, one inhabitant — the iconic statue of Brighty the Burro — wasn't so lucky. This treasured memorial to one of the Grand Canyon's most legendary animal residents was one of the many spiritual and cultural losses of the Dragon Bravo Fire, a devastating wildfire that began in early July and has since burned over 44,000 acres.

Brighty's statue had been displayed on the North Rim for the last 45 years, calling the Grand Canyon Lodge its home for many of those. The statue's shiny nose is the result of the countless people who rubbed this famed burro (donkey) for good luck before heading off to trek the Grand Canyon's most dangerous and breathtaking hike and take in the park's raw beauty. Brighty was also the star of many photo ops at the lodge and is considered the North Rim's unofficial mascot. Since the fire began, former visitors have taken to social media to express their dismay at not only the loss of the lodge but also Brighty, whose larger-than-life image meant a great deal to many people.

Before he was a beloved statue and mascot, Brighty was a friendly donkey who hung around miners and tour operators in the Grand Canyon's North Rim from the 1880s until the early 1920s. Full of character, he was known for loving pancakes and being a reluctant pack mule. He became very popular with the canyon's first tourists starting in 1917, who found his easy-going presence in the vast scale of the canyon comforting. 

Brighty's life was so inspirational, he became the protagonist of children's author Marguerite Henry's award-winning book, "Brighty of the Grand Canyon," which was later turned into a movie. This led to the creation of Brighty's 600-pound bronze statue, which was donated to Grand Canyon National Park in 1967. Brighty stood proudly at the South Rim Visitor Center for almost 10 years, until he became a controversial figurehead, silently speaking out against the park's culling of burros in the late 1960s, as the animal was considered an invasive species. The public fought against the burro killings, saving hundreds of the animals and getting their hero's statue rededicated to the Grand Canyon Lodge. 

Understandably, many have been rocked by the bronze Brighty's demise during the wildfires. Fortunately, there is some hope for the plucky burro's future. The Grand Canyon Historical Society recently posted a photo of Brighty's statue in the lodge's charred remains. In the photo, Brighty's body and face are mostly intact, something that has been verified by the national park. People are already clamoring for Brighty's revival, so there may yet be life left in this beloved folk figure.