We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Smell will be better after surgery, I hope. ", Darcee Perkins, Perkins' daughter, told Newsweek: "Not any person would have survived this or continue to todayI couldn't have. Then there was the crew of the medevac flight that winged him almost 2,000 miles south to Seattle, where the staff at Harborview began the process of putting him back together. 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. That act was accompanied by many others that have allowed Perkins to carry on with life. James Callery For Mailonline "In September, [another person] was mauled by moose while hunting with a buddy. One bite on my forearm went through to the bone and I heard a crunch. 'I only had time to say, 'Oh s***!' But Perkins' family roots go deep here. He left the ADN in 2015. So I spent a couple of months at home that fall putting myself through the Wes Perkins Opiate Withdrawal Clinic.. It is getting better. He has taken to trying to come up with the ultimate in smoothies. He was taken to Madison Valley Medical Center in Ennis where he needed eight hours of stitching to sort out his injuries. Hunting party shot and killed the animal for a final answer sort by,. 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. Perkins said: 'I do what I can to pay it forward, and have always had a positive attitude. and Wes could feel his energy fading and the pain was mercifully numbed by his adrenaline. 'I had no airway unless I kept my head tilted to the side just right,' Perkins said. Do you have an animal or nature story to share with Newsweek? ", Since then, others have contacted Perkins for help and advice. "Ripped out IV and feed tube by mistake a few times (in those dreams). Support us through Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/user?u=73787379Check out our Merch Storehttps://scarybearattacks.myshopify.com/Support us through Paypalpaypal.me/ScaryBearAttacksTik Tok Shorts Channelhttps://www.tiktok.com/@scarybearattacks?is_from_webapp=1\u0026sender_device=pcAt 54 years of age, Wes Perkins had dedicated his life to serving his community. The tables were turned though when an 8ft grizzly bear attacked, ripping Perkins entire face off. and Allena Hansen was mauled by a black bear on her ranch in the Sequoia Mountains, California, in 2008. I had no time to do anything.". For more information, please see our The detail and information found inside this story will blow your mind. To survive, Mr Perkins instinctively removed the mud from his fresh wounds and he was then airlifted to receive medical care. Perkins, from Nome, Alaska, his friend Dan Stang, and Dan Stang's son, Edward Stang, were out in the mountains on a hunting trip. "It was either lie there and bleed out or get the hell out of there, so I left.". Wes Perkins, 65, was on a hunting trip with his friend Dan Stang and his pal's son Edward. "I caught a few silvers (silver salmon)," he wrote. He dedicates a lot of his time to helping other victims of mauling incidents through their recovery. He was the fire chief at the Nome Volunteer Fire Department for a while and helped out with several local community groups. At his Nome home earlier this month, recognizing that a reporter was having trouble understanding all of his words, he got out his notepad and conducted an interview in long hand. The story and what are apparently the photos resulting from a bear attack are hard to look at, hard to think about, and hard to imagine. Big bear.. Rather than fleeing like most usually do, the bear fed into its fighting instinct, as it likely felt threatened. iStock / Getty Images Plus / Donnie Rosie on Youtube. Terms & Conditions! "I had to dig stuff out of (my) airway to breathe," he wrote. Heres more from the Anchorage Daily News. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. There is no gentle way to describe his condition. "I laid with head in Dr.'s lap sideways and all curled up in a small R44 helicopter," he jotted in the notes he conveniently took for a reporter. We saw it had been running. ShamAbram 4 yr. ago. 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.. Wes is not letting this hold him back. Perkins, who was nearly mauled to death by the grizzly's razor-like teeth, miraculously survived the brutal attack, and said in the video he 'remembers everything'. Contact Craig Medred at craig(at)alaskadispatch.com. The titanium plates in his face will likely always give him trouble in the cold. But they were rocked away in the early hours when a polar bear attacked their camp. Wes Perkins, 54, followed the big beast in a snowmobile in a hilly area outside . 26 surgeries and more than $1 million accumulated in medical suspenses later, Wes is getting along. The bear began to maul Perkins, severely disfiguring his face. Some 18 months and 26 surgeries after a grizzly bear ripped off his face, former Nome firefighter Wes Perkins says life is good and he "feels great." Everything he consumes comes from a blender now, but its better than being underground. They are not good or bad, they are simply wild animals, and that is something to be remembered. 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 comments below have not been moderated, By I know how people cannot function or hold-full time jobs, raise families while in this state, as there was no way I could do that and go through withdrawals. I do most everything I used to do but since I cannot close my mouth, I cannot swim and its 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. The trio was tracking a nice size bear and drove around the hill hoping to find it, but before they could hunt it, the animal emerged from a hole it had dug and surprised Mr Perkins. According to the Alaska State Troopers, Perkins and two friends had been tracking the bear east of Nome-- located on the Seward Peninsula-- when the big grizzly charged the group.Perkins' companions shot and killed the animal during the attack. Rowe was in the air only minutes after taking a phone call from Nate. She said I can't leave hospital until I can climb stairs. playstation 5 mit vertrag telekom. I could sit home & do nothing and feel sorry, but I have always helped people, not needed help. Man Who Had Face Torn Off by a Bear Had To Dig Debris From His Own Airway. Driving around the brush stand, Perkins stopped to rummage through his pack and get his camera for a keepsake photo of the scenery. Although in shock and injured, Orr carried on his trek but within minutes the bear was back and launched another attack. Perkins said: 'I was fortunate enough to have a great surgical team.'. 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. So when I stopped, I thought the bear was ahead of me. Where his nose and sinuses once were, a gaping hole was left. 05/18/2011. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Talking to filmmaker Donnie Rose for a YouTube short documentary, Mr Perkins said he remembers all details of the attack. 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. He then bit my head really hard. Wes Perkins is from Alaska, and he knows he's lucky. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Previously, he was the Executive Director of Stockley Center in Georgetown and Delaware Psychiatric Center in New Castle. He still has a tube in his throat. Bear spray doesnt always work but its better than nothing.. Walking. I do everything else, he said. 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. A man who was left severely disfigured after a vicious bear attack has shared his incredible survival story in hopes it can help others who find themselves in a similar situation. Wesley Perkins, 54, an experienced hunter and former . Mr. Perkins only got his rifle 1/2 way off his [slinged] back and baam! A fire chief who was savagely mauled by an eight-foot grizzly bear in Alaska has told how he had to claw debris out of his throat to survive. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Imagine having the worst case of the flu you've ever known, and you'll get the idea. Unfortunately, this provoked the mother bear, who charged. 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, Mr Perkins told Newsweek. He added: "I have helped others my whole life, and never imagined that I would be on the receiving end of things, but the brotherhood of Nome, my brothers in the fire service, from Seattle, Anchorage, Nome, came out to support and fundraise for me and helped me through this recovery. He has a speech therapist in Anchorage, Anne Ver Hoef, the snowshoer of Iditarod Trail Invitational fame. The bear then seemingly appeared out of nowhere and within close proximity. Dan Stang said the bear had been hiding in the willows. Related To Alice Perkins, Kelly Perkins, Mary Perkins, Rose Perkins. But before they could hunt it, the bear emerged from a hole it had dug, just 70ft away from Mr 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. I would not get 69 feet from a bear in the zoo. 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. 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. Perkins rolled him forward and buried his face in the snow to help numb it while they immediately radioed for emergency aid. Brooke had gone out elk hunting with friends and having shot one they decided to return the next day to get the body. Fr den 65-jhrigen Jger Wes Perkins wurden sie leider Wirklichkeit. The Wes Perkins Grizzly Bear Attack and Survival Story - Nome, AK. I had a camera in my pocket, snowgo jacket. Perkins spent the next four months in hospital, undergoing numerous operations to repair the damage done by the bear. His horrific wounds included the skin on his scalp, back and buttocks being ripped away while one of his ears was also torn off. She underwent a four-hour operation to remove bone fragments and clean wounds to her brain and had metal plates and screws inserted into her skull. "I have 'Speak It' (software) on my phone and Ipad," he said, "but if I do not try to talk, I will never get better." They have also lived in Downers Grove, IL and Joliet, IL. So I was lucky I was able to put myself through this at home. Looks like his whole face under the eye was torn one side , the flap fell to the other side and the photog shows the underside. 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. Jesus man, I was shooting this weekend at 25 yards (75 feet). Perkins brother Nate made the radio call. 'Ed was ahead of me and I was right behind him. Published: Nov. 27, 2021 at 12:28 AM CST area 125 connections a. They wanted help if I was willing to help give them some direction as to what may happen. He nearly lost his life as essentially half of his face was ripped off by a big brown bear. The detail and information found inside this story will blow your mind. For other inquiries, Contact Us. So I always helped others, never thought I would be on the receiving end, but very grateful for all the help and support for sure. I do everything else.'. Joined in Feb. of 1978. In 2011, Perkins had his face ripped off via a grizzly endure in what has been described as one of the vital horrific assaults on file. Don't miss a story! He's not the man he once was, but he's still very appreciative to be alive. "I've had some bad days and tough times the past year, but we get through it. Doctors had to use part of his fibula to create a jaw to replace what the bear ripped off of his face. 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.. Wes wants everyone to be careful, and to remember wild animals are not your friends. It was sickeningly painful.. She suffered two fractures and severe lacerations on her head, neck, and back, according to a GoFundMe page. Both were badly mauled, the boy's face was gone much like the man in the pictures. "[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. Interviewed by Youtuber Dannie Rose for a . A lot of people who get attacked never live to tell the story. I . This grizzly bear attack happened in 2017 and went wildly viral for the photos of Sommer's wounds. He added he told himself to stay away and avoid closing his eyes or go unconscious. And then my shoulder. I could not move my face sideways or my airway would close. "I only had time to say, 'Oh shit!' He'd probably be better off spending the rest of his life somewhere warmer than this isolated, far-north community. The tracks were impressive and showed that the bear was walking and running at various points along the creek. Perkins couldn't speak legibly for several months, relying on writing to communicate. I probably saved Wess life and my son saved my life in the same ordeal, Dan Stang said. It turned out to be bad news for Perkins. Wes is getting along as best as he can. The trio spotted the 8ft grizzly bear off in the distance but lost sight of the beast after tracking it for a while. He pretty much single-handedly organized a rescue to lift his brother from the wilderness of the Kigluaik Mountains, about 30 miles east of this small community. The horrific attack took place in the Alaskan wilderness in 2011. In 2011, Perkins had his face ripped off by a grizzly bear in what has been described as one of the most horrific attacks on record. Mr Stang said in the short documentary that the bear also tried to charge at him before his son joined him in firing shots at it. Pikes (Place) Market. 'I probably saved Wes' life and my son saved my life from the whole ordeal,' the elder Stang said. I had no time to do anything.". ", "I turned and saw the bear, full charge," he wrote. 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!" A man who had his face torn off by a grizzly bear has explained how he managed to survive the attack. You're fine.' Some of it is extremely gruesome and vivid. He still has a tube in his throat. I could feel his teeth going deep into the flesh, and I knew it was serious. Since that discovery, Wes has had his blender going full tilt. This shearing action left ribbons of flesh and bone hanging from the man's face. The bear immediately clamped his 12 inch wide bite across Wess face and locked on. A year after the attack in 2011, Mr Perkins said: "I only had time to say, 'Oh s***!' Perkins, who is a trained paramedic, recalls the attack vividly. 'So telling myself to function and never close my eyes or go unconscious was the main concentration.'. It was essentially a bear hunt gone bad,a routine and pleasant hunt that took a turn for the worse when Perkins came across the wrong bear at the wrong time. Eventually we went around the hill and found the tracks and we were tracking the bear down,' he said. He is, however, already back to enjoying what both Alaska and Seattle offer in the non-work hours. COPYRIGHT 2023, WOMG. We saw it had been running. He didn't call Alaska State Troopers and wait for others to act. He was quoted in the interview with Anchorage Daily News: I had to dig stuff out of (my) airway to breathe, he wrote. and our After he was attacked last May, it was reported that he'd been taking pictures of the bear before it charged. When I turned around, the bear was that close. It was essentially a bear hunt gone bad, a routine and pleasant hunt that took a turn for the worse when Perkins came across the wrong bear at the wrong time. Amazingly, the man was able to fire off his last shot, momentarily knocking the beast . "I turned and saw the bear, full charge," Perkins told Anchorage Daily News around a year after the attack. Nine steps from 69 feet, according to Fish and Game. So telling myself to function and never close my eyes or go unconscious was the main concentration.. My older sister lives in Yelm outside Seattle. As soon as the bear mauled onto Perkins, his hunting buddy Dan Stang grabbed a gun and started shooting the bear. It was an adult female that attacked him, clasping his leg in its teeth and clawing off his skin while trying to drag him away. As Brooke lay bleeding, he could see his nose and mustache on the ground. Serendipitously, the first person to respond was Perkins' brother, who swiftly contacted a rescue helicopter, piloted by Ben Rowe. So telling myself to function and never close my eyes or go unconscious was the main concentration.. Eventually he was taken to the Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colorado where he received specialist care. I see people, they say welcome home. So then, in a few days, a squint of life. Every day is a day of improvement, and medical staff members are still working on getting him back to his best state. Doctors had to use part of his fibula to create a jaw to replace what the bear ripped off of his face. Fjeld then called for help on his satellite phone. 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. He too survived, most of his injuries were wounds, on the torso, leg, etcetera. So that will have to wait. A team effort and incredible will power of a human to survive is what helped create this rescue and survival of epic proportions. I do everything else.". Doctors told him he may never be able to eat or drink via his mouth again. "I did not know the bear was 69 feet away in a snow cave. ", Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. A tough life toughened them. He is on a liquid diet. Mr Perkins said in the film that he now helps families of bear attack victims to better understand and navigate the process to recovery. Especially the nose. James Wesley Perkins, 53. And that is the amazing part of this story. I was lucky that I was able to learn how to talk again., Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. What followed after it burst from a snow cave has been an experience he couldn't imagine in his worst nightmares. They shot the 8-foot-tall, 13-year-old grizzly boar off of Perkins. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Wes Perkins had his face torn off by an 8ft grizzly bear, Bear attacks on humans are rare but can be particularly savage, Todd Orr was mauled by the same bear twice, Allena Hansen was attacked by a black bear on her California ranch, Alexey Ivanovsky was 'skinned alive' in the attack and died nine days later, Lee Brooke had the entire left side of his body crushed, Sebastian Plur Nilssen had his head chomped by a polar bear, Amber Kornak had her skull fractured when she was attacked by a bear in Montana, Despite their size and weight bears can still run pretty fast, Terrifying moment a grizzly bear charges at a Yellowstone Park ranger who fires projectiles and scares him off, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). 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. 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. While Sommer's friend warded off the bear with a blast of bear spray, Sommer wasn't so lucky. So how did this nightmare of situation come about? She managed to fight it off thanks to the help of her two large dogs and by sticking her thumbnail in its eye. He still has a tube in his throat. He spent the following year back and forth between Seattle, Anchorage and Nome as doctors tried to rebuild his face. The bear then spun around several times before he started to charge at him. Just know that I have a few more surgeries and will be gone, so I will miss a lot of work." Interviewed by Youtuber Dannie Rose for. A trained paramedic, he remembers reaching into his throat to pull out pieces of his face to keep his airway open so he wouldn't suffocate after the attack. I know if I lost consciousness, I would probably die. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. It's hard to imagine the recovery, and the person has no idea what to expect or how long the process will be. Eventually, the bear succumbed, and eventually died. The animal burst out of a hole and charged the 65-year-old, tearing into him with its sharp claws. 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. I used to talk a lot, and when they told me I would never talk or eat by mouth again, I really had to beat those odds as I could not imagine my active life without being able to do ., To further complicate matters, his nervous system got addicted to painkillers during the recovery process after the grizzly bear attack. Do lots of walking in Seattle when we are there. I just walked out three miles, now I got to go to the hospital, so be safe out there. His left eye, which sees only light and dark, weeps constantly. Todd Orr managed to survive not one but two savage maulings while he was out hiking in Montana in October 2016.