Alaska woman called heroic after surviving bear attack while jogging
Alaska woman called heroic after surviving bear attack while jogging
FILE: An Alaskan Brown Bear from Kodiak Island in southern Alaska, looks back as she walks away with two fishes in her mouth during feeding time at Sydney's Taronga Zoo. Reuters
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska A woman attacked by a brown bear on an Anchorage military base struggled to walk 2 miles on a windy, uphill path to get help, officials said Monday.
The woman's efforts to get aid after a 7- to 8-foot bear swiped at her were nothing short of heroic, Mark Sledge, base conservation law enforcement officer, said at a news conference.
The woman, who has asked that her identity not be released, suffered lacerations to her neck, arms and legs and was hospitalized in stable condition at the Alaska Native Medical Center, Maj. Angela Webb told The Associated Press.
Sledge said the woman is lucky to be alive and adds that her will to survive is "just amazing."
The woman and her soldier husband were jogging late Sunday morning on the northern part of the base when they became separated. The woman happened upon the bear, which had two cubs with her.
"They had essentially startled one another," Webb said.
The bear swiped at her once. A passer-by picked up the woman and took her to the base hospital. She was later transferred to the Anchorage facility.
"It was very quick, and she didn't remember much," Webb said of the attack and what the woman could recall.
Base officials have closed recreational areas around the part of the base where the attack took place, and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson police are asking anyone to come forward if they witnessed the encounter.
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She is so lucky to be alive!
Damn lucky Tzia. Not many survive a bear attack.
Best of luck in her recovery.
Yes, I hope she has a full recovery.
Here are two articles about this attack:
FoxNews
AlaskaDispatch
Somebody was watching over her!!
The way the articles describe her injuries she did as she should have and dropped into a ball protecting her neck with her hands. That would be the result of her having attended survival classes at the base.
She really is one lucky woman.
I agree that she's lucky to be alive but I'd rather reserve the description"heroic" for someone exhibiting courage and self-sacrifice rather than self-preservation. We would all go to great lengths to save ourselves if we can but it's those who risk themselves to save others that I call heroic.
Concur - she definitely reacted correctly.