Yosemite victims' desperate last moments YOSEMITE

Richard Fox, left, who was swept off a bridge at Yosemite National Park on June 29, 2011. With him is David Samuelson, who was hiking with Fox but survived. Richard Fox, left, who was swept off a bridge at Yosemite National Park on June 29, 2011. With him is David Samuelson, who was hiking with Fox but survived. Photo: Courtesy Of Paula Meyer Photo: Courtesy Of Paula Meyer Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Yosemite victims' desperate last moments 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK -- The widow of one of two Los Angeles County men swept to their deaths from a bridge in Yosemite National Park said Friday that the men had hesitantly tried to cross the span as water roared across it in hopes of avoiding a two-day detour through the high country.

Dr. Gregory Wayne Meyer, 53, of Whittier and physician assistant Richard Fox, 53, of Hacienda Heights were swept into Falls Creek by unusually high late-season runoff as they tried to cross the Wapama Falls bridge Wednesday near Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.

The two, along with Meyer's wife, Paula Meyer, and two friends, were returning from a four-day backpacking trip. Both men worked at Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in Whittier, where Paula Meyer also works as a physician assistant.

Gregory Meyer had been a doctor since 1987. He was the father of twin girls, who will turn 3 next week. Fox was married and had three sons, Paula Meyer said.

The Meyers split their time between Whittier and Merced, where he grew up on his family's ranch.

"He just had an idyllic childhood," Paula Meyer said. "He loved to do many things, such as hiking the backcountry."

The group had traversed several bridges on their Yosemite backpacking trip without problems before encountering the Wapama Falls bridge.

The bridge had been clear on their way out, but by the time they returned, water from snowmelt and a storm Tuesday was cascading over the walkway. Paula Meyer described it as "torrential."

"We were trying to decide if we would go or not," she said.

Fox went first, then Gregory Meyer, then Paula Meyer. Fox slipped, and "Greg was holding onto (Fox) with his right hand and kept his left hand on the upper rail so he wouldn't fall," she said.

As Fox lost his grip, Gregory Meyer let go of the bridge to grab him with both hands, she said. Fox fell, and then Meyer slipped away behind him.

"Greg was trying to save his life," Paula Meyer said.

Fox's body was found in the reservoir. Gregory Meyer is still missing, and search efforts are continuing for his body, authorities said.

Paula Meyer said that although the bridge was open, she recognized that hikers were responsible for their own safety. However, she disputed a park spokeswoman's statement that an alternate route would have added only several miles to their trip.

That route would have been 19 miles up "back into the high country" and would have taken them two days, she said.

As it was, they were about 2 1/2 miles from the trailhead. "We made a quick choice of just trying to pass," she said, adding that the route they chose "was the only way out of that valley."

The spot where Gregory Meyer died had held a special attraction for the couple, his wife said. Seven years ago, Meyer brought a bottle of wine and proposed to her at the reservoir. On this trip, he had secretly packed another bottle and asked her to marry him again.

"Knowing everything you know now, would you marry me?" he asked her.

"Of course," she replied.