A man in Maine, who founded a home for elephants, has tragically passed away. 56-year-old Dr. James Laurita, was stepped on by one of the elephants he cared for.

A man in Maine, who founded a home for elephants, has tragically passed away. 56-year-old Dr. James Laurita, was stepped on by one of the elephants he cared for.

Knox County deputies were dispatched to the animals’ barn in Hope. Initially, authorities suspected Laurita fell and hit his head on a cement floor, causing his death.

However an investigation revealed he had fallen and one of the elephants accidentally stepped on him while he was on the ground. Laurita encountered multiple chest fractures.

His cause of death is listed as asphyxiation. Laurita spent a good portion of his life tending to and focusing on elephants.

In the 1970s, Laurita worked for a regional circus and that’s about the time he developed a deep love for the animals. In 2011, he founded the refuge called Hope Elephants with his brother Tom.

The facility’s two Asian elephants, Rosie and Opal, arrived about a year later. Both animals were taken care of by Laurita when he worked in the circus.

The board of directors for the refuge noted “Jim’s passion for all animals, but especially elephants, was boundless. It was Jim’s ability to share that passion.. that .. enhanced the lives of all those who had a chance to know Jim.”

The beloved and kind-hearted man leaves behind a wife and two children.