Sandy Steers, the beloved executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley who helped bring the famous bald eagles Jackie and Shadow into millions of homes worldwide through livestream cameras, died Wednesday evening.
The organization announced her passing in a social media post on Thursday, saying: “It is with heavy hearts and great sadness to let our Friends of Big Bear Valley eagle family know.” No cause of death has been released, and the group has requested time to “grieve and process this sad news” before providing additional information.
Steers was instrumental in establishing the popular eagle cam that has allowed viewers around the world to witness the daily lives of Jackie and Shadow, according to KTLA. The livestream has documented multiple nesting seasons, capturing both heartwarming successes and difficult losses.
As the public voice of the Big Bear eagle community, Steers regularly provided updates about the eagles and their offspring. She was known for her thoughtful commentary during significant moments, including when eaglet Sunny attempted his first flight last spring.
“Sunny looked afraid,” Steers told KTLA, describing how the young eagle briefly lifted off before letting the wind carry him back to the nest.
She also guided viewers through more challenging times, such as the loss of a chick during a late-winter storm in 2025 and a recent raven attack in January that damaged Jackie and Shadow’s eggs while the pair was away from the nest.
Throughout these ups and downs, Steers often highlighted the eagles’ persistence as a lesson in resilience. “No matter what’s going on, Jackie and Shadow just keep coming and bringing food,” she previously told ABC7.
Steers made numerous television appearances on local news stations, where she shared her knowledge and passion for the Big Bear eagles with viewers across Southern California.
Friends of Big Bear Valley has indicated they will share more information about Steers’ passing at a later time.
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