An Alaska bear hunter is in a critical condition after he was savagely mauled by the grizzly bear he was tracking. Do you have an animal or nature story to share with Newsweek? What followed after it burst from a snow cave has been an experience he couldn't imagine in his worst nightmares. I found out on my own about the sports bottle so with the trach (trachea) tube out I could suck like a straw. Wes Perkins, 65, was on a hunting trip with his friend Dan Stang and his pal's son Edward. The other day when we found out we had surgery in Seattle, Terrie (his wife) asked if anyone had an AK Airlines companion fare coupon. Could not get out much. "I've had some bad days and tough times the past year, but we get through it. If hes alive now, hes going to make it. and So I stayed alert all the way (to Nome), and I could squeeze the hands of my two partners when they asked me questions.". Allena Hansen was mauled by a black bear on her ranch in the Sequoia Mountains, California, in 2008. And so I just stayed focused. Perkins momentarily lost the bear tracks as the bear walked through a stand of brush too dense for the man to ride through on his snowmobile. Doctors had to use part of his fibula to create a jaw to replace what the bear ripped off of his face. The only sensation he consciously processed was the cracking and crunching of his own facial bones and skull.Graphic photo of Wes after attack: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i\u0026url=https%3A%2F%2Ffreaknhunting.com%2Fgraphic-man-loses-face-in-alaskan-grizzly-bear-attack-but-considers-himself-lucky-to-be-alive%2F\u0026psig=AOvVaw0-m3vuQls5KLKuey3ScxSn\u0026ust=1642994001544000\u0026source=images\u0026cd=vfe\u0026ved=0CAsQjRxqFwoTCODLyuLzxvUCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD "I grind up soup, some meat, veggies, lots of frozen fruit, protein powder, bananas, banana bread," he wrote. I was lucky enough that I was able to get up, with their help, and walk into the helicopter. "Always was in good shape and active. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. In a show of resilience of the human body, and the determination to live, a father beats the odds after a terribly horrific attack by a brown bear in Alaska. 05/18/2011. So I was lucky I was able to put myself through this at home. She ripped up, I think my arms broke, but legs are good, internal organs are good, eyes are good. A man has opened up about being savaged in a brutal bear attack that left him severely disfigured.. Wes Perkins, 65, from Nome, Alaska, was out on a hunting trip with his friend Dan Stang and Dan's son when the horrific incident took place in 2011. Wes Perkins, 65, was on a hunting trip with his friend Dan Stang and his pal's son Edward when they spotted a "nice size bear" on a hill in the distance and began tracking it. Wes grew up in an old Alaska where people did battle against nature and adversity every day. An Alaskan hunter who was mauled by a grizzly bear over the weekend was clinging to life in a medically-induced coma, health official said. Been on the fire dept. And so, just to reaffirm that eventually, hell have somewhat of a normal life.. Doctors had to use part of his fibula to create a jaw to replace what the bear ripped off of his face. Dan Stang said that he immediately grabbed his gun and started shooting the bear. I know if I lost consciousness, I would probably die. So I stayed alert all the way (to Nome), and I could squeeze the hands of my two partners when they asked me questions.. He was then rushed back to Nome, and then to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. "Then a cane. The two men, who were experienced survivalists, put up their tents and set trip wires as a defence. '[I told him] Wesley you need to stay real still just keep your face in the snow.'. His left eye, which sees only light and dark, weeps constantly. While bear attacks on humans are relatively rare they can be particularly vicious, with the powerful animals able to smash skulls, pulp faces and skin their victims alive. 65-year-old Wes Perkins recently shared his story with Newsweek. She suffered two fractures and severe lacerations on her head, neck, and back, according to a GoFundMe page. He still has a tube in his throat. The whole left side of his body was crushed, and he had bites and lacerations all over his body, according to Dr Lili Daniali, one of the medics who treated him. And that is the amazing part of this story. Then, strangely, the bear just stopped her attack and wandered off. . The attack has now become the subject of a short documentary by filmmaker Donnie Rosie, who was in Alaska for another project when he found out about Perkins' story. I had no time to do anything. The long road back, he wrote, finally started "when I woke up in Harborview, and I stood up next to the bed." The tables were turned though when an 8ft grizzly bear attacked, ripping Perkins entire face off. So when I stopped, I thought the bear was ahead of me. Pikes (Place) Market. As the bear shook his head like a dog with a toy, the bones in Perkins' face cracked like pottery on a tile floor. The best result we found for your search is Wes Henry Perkins age 50s in Oswego, IL. "So telling myself to function and never close my eyes or go unconscious was the main concentration.". "They took my left fibula from the lower leg and made a jaw out of that and inserted it in place of what I had lost. She managed to fight it off thanks to the help of her two large dogs and by sticking her thumbnail in its eye. Mr Perkins was rushed back to nome and then to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. So I was right behind her all the way. Im [now] able to swallow a full-size vitamin that I couldnt swallow five months ago, Id choke on it, he added. Eventually we went around the hill and found the tracks and we were tracking the bear down,' he said. He glanced up to see the froth fling from the bear's angry lips and razor sharp claws digging into the ice and snow to gain traction to fulfill its hostile goals. So it was a big surgery with lots of surgeons doing their part and I had the best care a person could ever ask for.". "I only had time to say, 'Oh shit!' By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Perkins, a former fire chief for the city of Nome in Alaska, told Newsweek that he managed to stay alert during the near deadly attack. billion pound cruise Wes wants everyone to be careful, and to remember wild animals are not your friends. He too survived, most of his injuries were wounds, on the torso, leg, etcetera. This 13 year old 8 foot tall boar was in the prime of his life meaning that he was an efficient killer. The detail and information found inside this story will blow your mind. WATCH. "I knew I could hear so I could talk to Ed and Dan who were with me.". "Been to Council (a community on the Nome road system where the family keeps a summer cabin), and camp. I turned and saw the bear, full charge, Perkins said a year after the attack. 2. death_of_gnats 4 yr. ago. By Perkins said: 'I do what I can to pay it forward, and have always had a positive attitude. Fortunately, Kornak was able to fend off her attacker with a can of bear spray. Wes Perkins, KL0FM, of Nome, Alaska, was seriously mauled by a grizzly bear during a hunting trip on Sunday, May 14. Throughout the attack, Perkins had remained conscious. Doctors had to use part of his fibula to create a jaw to replace what the bear ripped off of his face. A rescue helicopter was dispatched immediately thanks to help from Perkins brother who knew a pilot. 'I only had time to say, 'Oh s***!' "In September, [another person] was mauled by moose while hunting with a buddy. Over ten years later, Perkins' face has healed, though the scarring remains, and he is able to live a happy life. They shot the 8-foot-tall, 13-year-old grizzly bear off of Perkins, which was the first action made that lead to survival of Wes. His speech impediment has turned Perkins into a world-class scribbler. He was only saved by Fjeld managing to find his gun and shoot the bear dead. "I did not know the bear was 69 feet away in a snow cave. Perkins, who is a trained paramedic, recalls the attack vividly. You're fine.' Walking. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. What I [am] able to do is let them know that it takes stages, Mr Perkins says in the documentary about the family of a survivor who reached out to him. 'There was a bear mauling. Since that discovery, Wes has had his blender going full tilt. The day I left the hospital they told me I was addicted or dependent on opiates. "Some think I was taking pictures," he wrote. He then told him exactly where in the wilderness they were located. He hasn't let his ordeal deter him from exploring the wilderness, and still hunts bears and moose like he did before. So how did this nightmare of situation come about? My epiglottis (was) not working, but I can swallow and it's getting to my stomach.". Whatever the hell they did, they did a fine job. A tough life toughened them. The bear had also caused huge damage to one of Perkins' eyes. When I turned around, the bear was that close. As soon as the bear mauled onto Perkins, his hunting buddy Dan Stang grabbed a gun and started shooting the bear. The former fire chief was exploring the Alaskan wilderness when the attack happened in 2011. Perkins, who spent his life in Alaska, has a fair bit of experience around grizzlies, but added, I never had one hide like this one! What followed after it burst from a snow cave has been an experience he couldnt imagine in his worst nightmares. The bears, as Larry Aumiller, one-time manager of the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and world-famous bear viewing area, once observed, "the bears don't give a rip.". "At the time I didn't have many options," she added. Life is good, but it will never be the same after the unfortunate bear attack that nearly cost him his life. It's a mind boggling story and I personally cringe thinking about it all taking place. Orr eventually was able to walk back to his truck and drive 17 miles to get help. He said he started driving away and when he looked back the bear was on top of Wesley. "So basically my face was ripped off.". what was the premier league called before; Tags . Perkins said: 'I was fortunate enough to have a great surgical team.'. Wes's survival hinged on the Stangs, then Rowe, then the staff at the Norton Sound Health Corp., who stabilized Wes. He does not look bad with his sunglasses on, but the twisted look of his lower face, with his mouth offset to one side, is bound to draw second glances. Neither are they good. Immer wieder sorgen Bren-Attacken weltweit fr Schlagzeilen. He left the ADN in 2015. 'I was lucky enough and able to walk, with their help, into the helicopter.'. He spent four months in hospital, undergoing a number of operations to reconstruct his face. It is pure luck or a miracle, if you believe in such things, he is alive today. "The bear grabbed his face, bit it and ripped it off. It was during the conversation that Rammel showed the reporter the video he made immediately after the attack. The attack happened in 2011 but 65-year-old Wes Perkins still bears the scars of a terrifying encounter with a grizzly beast in the Alaskan mountains. The attack happened in 2011 but 65-year-old Wes Perkins still bears the scars of a terrifying encounter with a grizzly beast in the Alaskan mountains. It happened not far from Perkins home in Nome, Alaska. I had no time to do anything. Especially the nose. Do you have a question about surviving bear attacks? Lee Brooke had the left-side of his body crushed following a grizzly bear attack in Wyoming in October 2016. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. And if you're Wes Perkins, if you can say that after what he's been through, it is saying something. Despite surviving the attack, he was left with permanent damage as he still has issues talking, eating and drinking. NOME -- Almost a year and a half after the bear attack, after 26 surgeries and more than a $1 million in medical expenses, Wes Perkins is whole in body and still badly disfigured. His will to survive and keep going, stay positive.". I used a cane, as they said I had to. - brain zaps when falling asleep; mini husbilar till salu amsterdam. His partners were Dan Stang, a Nome dentist, and his son, Edward, a student in dentistry school at the time. I dont know whats going on in there. ", Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. "I started spooning liquid in back of my throat as it would get so dry. Related To Alice Perkins, Kelly Perkins, Mary Perkins, Rose Perkins. 34 years. Perkins would spend four months in the hospital and underwent numerous operations. Perkins, from Nome, Alaska, his friend Dan Stang, and Dan Stang's son, Edward Stang, were out in the mountains on a hunting trip. Wes Perkins, a 65-year-old former fire chief, not only lived to tell the tale, but wants to help anyone else who has gone through something similar. The painkillers that he was given began to become addictive, Perkins said, but his family and friends supported his efforts to wean himself off: "I was on morphine, and opiates and methadone in my recovery. I have a few issues sometimes with talking, as most of my damage was facial, lower jaw, but most understand me if I slow down and do not get excited, Perkins said. He didnt call Alaska State Troopers and wait for others to act. T he attack happened in 2011 but 65-year-old Wes Perkins still bears the scars of a terrifying encounter with a grizzly beast in the Alaskan mountains. Its been described as one of the most horrific grizzly bear attacks in recorded history. So then, in a few days, a squint of life. I had no time to do anything.. He was nauseous all the time. I could not move my face sideways or my airway would close. Neither of us woke until the bear ripped into the canvas, recalled Plur Nilssen. . Let us know via science@newsweek.com. Driving around the brush stand, Perkins stopped to rummage through his pack and get his camera for a keepsake photo of the scenery. Wes Perkins, a 65-year-old former fire chief, not only lived to tell the tale, but wants to help anyone else who has gone through something similar. All rights reserved. He said: "I probably saved Wes' life and my son saved my life from the whole ordeal.". 'So telling myself to function and never close my eyes or go unconscious was the main concentration.'. Serendipitously, the first person to respond was Perkins' brother, who swiftly contacted a rescue helicopter, piloted by Ben Rowe. "I feel great," he wrote in sprawling handwriting on a lined writing pad. She said, 'You don't need me anymore. There is a particular strategy to spring bear hunting. Fair warning: Some of the accounts in this story are EXTREMELY GRAPHIC. . Despite all this, Perkins keeps moving forward with that indomitable spirit that defines the best of those living in rural Alaska. Lots of people from everywhere. "A couple of years after I was mauled, I received a letter in the mail from a cousin of a man in his mid-30s who was hunting elk with his father when he was mauled," Perkins told Newsweek. Ruth Bashinsky For Dailymail.Com. "I only had time to say, 'Oh s***!' He tried to punch the bear but it then bit his arm. Even as the Stangs began life-saving first aid, they were radioing for help from Nome, a community far from anywhere at the tip of the Seward Peninsula jutting into the sea closer to Russia than Anchorage, the urban hub of the 49th state. In Perkins case it should be straightforward to detect the blatant SFX effects, and the rather catchy narrative of "losing his face" in a bear attack equally seems like a bear-violence meme that accompany several staged Grizzly attacks on humans. I have a good life, lots of people have it far worse than I.". But they are certainly not related." Norwegians Sebastian Plur Nilssen and Ludvig Fjeld had set out in July 2015 on a world-first attempt to kayak around Svalbard, an isolated archipelago between Norway and the North Pole. Anyone who thinks the bears are our friends, think again. Paramedic Wes Perkins, from Alaska, is lucky to be alive after going out on a bear hunt with two pals. I would not get 69 feet from a bear in the zoo. Mr Perkins said he had to dig debris from his own airway to stay alive, By the time he realised what was happening, the bear attacked him, The grizzly bear was shot dead by Mr Stang (Stock photo), Raging wild turkey terrorises neighbourhood attacking and injuring residents, Teen, 19, admits plotting Islamist terror attack targeting British police and military, Fisherman missing at sea after 'huge' tuna catch pulls him overboard into the water, Polar bear kills boy and woman in rampage through Alaska village, Widow's anxiety as debt collectors try to repossess her Spanish dream home. The bears are not bad. Nobody whined about the Internet being out or losing power because there was no Internet and in a lot of places there was no power. Rather than fleeing like most usually do, the bear fed into it's fighting instinct, as it likely felt threatened. And probably worst of all, for a man who always loved to talk, he is now hard to understand because he speaks with only half a tongue.. He remembers seeing lights during that time, wanting someone to turn down the heat in the room, and hearing the NBA playoffs on the TV on the wall. "All of Alaska. He nearly lost his life as essentially half of his face was ripped off by a big brown bear. Wes Perkins is from Alaska, and he knows he's lucky. I was back to normal, a small, slow walk in about five days. Interviewed by Youtuber Dannie Rose for. The Grizzly bear is a rather recent discovery as it is an animal that only is found in North America which makes the historical records less abundant than other types of bears who normally comes in all sizes and behavior - the grizzly only comes in oversized and dangerous. Mr Perkins said in the film that he now helps families of bear attack victims to better understand and navigate the process to recovery. Every day is a day of improvement, and medical staff members are still working on getting him back to his best state. I did not know the bear was 69 feet away in a snow cave. "[I] do most everything I used to do but since I cannot close my mouth, I cannot swim and it's hard to run or jog, as my jaw bounces because I lost so much muscle in my jaw but hell, those are small things in life. . Eventually he was taken to the Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colorado where he received specialist care. Perkins spent the next four months in hospital, undergoing numerous operations to repair the damage done by the bear. Dad, teacher from Poplar Bluff, Missouri, moved to Council to teach school in 1952 or '53. He said he called on his radio transmission asking for anyone to help, and Perkins' brother answered. "Just wondered, 'Where am I?' He is, however, already back to enjoying what both Alaska and Seattle offer in the non-work hours. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. "Her parents mined at Solomon, Iron Creek. "Took the class & passed all my skills. He still has a tube in his throat. His facial reconstruction required titantium plates in both cheeks and a titanium jawbone. James Wesley Perkins, 53. I basically kept my airway open and had to dig the debris out of my airway, when I lost my tongue, jaw and all but a few teeth, Perkins said. 'I basically kept my airway open and had to dig the debris out of my airway, when I lost my tongue, jaw and all but a few teeth,' Perkins said. My dad was once mayor.". He then bit my head really hard. 65-year-old Wes Perkins recently shared his story with Newsweek. ", "I do what I can to pay it forward, and have always had a positive attitude.". The memories are good. It's been a long road for her and the kids, too. Lived In Morehead City NC, Chino Valley AZ, Prescott Valley AZ, Fort Lauderdale FL. (But) outside of Harborview, on a fence, I would hang the cane, everyday walk farther from it. ", Not long after, a physical therapist "came in with a walker," he wrote. Wes still can't eat in the normal sense of the word. Perkins couldn't speak legibly for several months, relying on writing to communicate. I had no time to do anything.". He'd probably be better off spending the rest of his life somewhere warmer than this isolated, far-north community. This hasn't just been a long road just for Wes. His left eye, which sees only light and dark, weeps constantly. Doctors had to amputate one of Alexeys legs because of the severity of his injuries. Just another site. In 2011, Perkins had his face ripped off. He spent five days in a medically induced coma in Seattle hospital bed. During the attack the bear dragged Plur Nilssen 30m across the sand and rocks, leaving a trail of blood, where he then picked him up by his head and stood on its hind legs. Interviewed by Youtuber Dannie Rose for a short film released last month, Mr Perkins, a former fire chief in the city of Nome, recounted the attack in detail. The Russian suffered clinical death immediately after the attack but was resuscitated and his ear was sewn back on. When I turned around, the bear was that close. Ace chopper pilot Ben Rowe saved his life, Nate said at the time, but Rowe was only one of the many who combined to save then 54 year old Wes. "2-3 days later can hear all the familiar voices, but could not see anything. According to Anchorage Daily News, " Wes Perkins is whole in body and still badly disfigured. Unbeknownst to Perkins he had inadvertently driven past the giant brown bear, now hidden in a snow cave about seventy feet behind him. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. He now helps people who are experiencing similar recoveries from attacks. short documentary by filmmaker Donnie Rosie, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. But suddenly the grizzly came charging towards Perkins. An avid outdoorsman, Wes loved to get out of the house and hunt animals as early in the year as he could, and in Alaska, that means spring bear hunting. Some think I was taking pictures, he wrote. He was the fire chief at the Nome Volunteer Fire Department for a while and helped out with several local community groups. 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