Yes, this made national news, because it was spectacular and unusual, hence, newsworthy. In the months since this was reported, how many have come to grief from more mundane mechanisms like falls, drowning, and just generally being unprepared for conditions encountered? (or for that matter, auto accidents to and from the trailhead?)

Humans obsess about the spectacular and overlook the "normal" day to day hazards. We think nothing of getting in our cars and going for a drive, but the automobile accident rate is roughly similar to that suffered by rock climbers on lead (my source for this is a PBS program aired about fifteen years ago - I doubt the situation has changed much). Many people refuse to fly commercial planes because of safety concerns, preferring to drive, a act which is much more hazardous.

I just returned from a local day hike where I would not have been the least surprised to see a mountain lion. Did not see anything. The muddy washouts on the trail, and the occasionally slimy footing presented the greater hazard. For that matter, the chances of me suffering a coronary are probably greater than those of an animal attack.

I believe there is a case on record of a woman injured by a falling meteorite in her own house. Should we install armor plating on our roofs?