He said when he rolled Perkins over he saw 'his whole face rolled right off'. I would not get 69 feet from a bear in the zoo. When a Canadian family noticed a group of bears on their property, the father attempted to scare them off by firing a warning shot into the air. 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. I see people, they say welcome home. Joined in Feb. of 1978. He had titanium plates inserted in both cheeks and a titanium rib around the jawbone during the facial reconstruction process. It's hard to imagine the recovery, and the person has no idea what to expect or how long the process will be. Then think about it dragging on for months. 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, Mr Perkins told Newsweek. - Nine steps from 69 feet, according to Fish and Game. Life is good.". The former fire chief was exploring the Alaskan wilderness when the attack happened in 2011. #1 thing I learned is healing comes, but it is slow," again with that double underline on slow. And, he became addicted to painkillers, having taken morphine, and opiates during the recovery. He spent two months recovering in Anchorage," Perkins said. 15:31 GMT 28 Jan 2023. '", "I did not like the feeling of being high or on opiates, I was never a drug user, never had any major medical problems before I was mauled. "Just wondered, 'Where am I?' He wouldn't be sure of the answer to that question for quite a while. "I only had time to say, 'Oh shit!' He tried to punch the bear but it then bit his arm. 65-year-old Wes Perkins recently shared his story with Newsweek. "If I was unconscious, I would have died. 2022 Anchorage Daily News. 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. He then told him exactly where in the wilderness they were located. 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. FINISHING MOWER Attachments And Components Auction Results. Life is good, but it will never be the same after the unfortunate bear attack that nearly cost him his life. I probably saved Wess life and my son saved my life in the same ordeal, Dan Stang said. He dedicates a lot of his time to helping other victims of mauling incidents through their recovery. 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'. 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.. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters, Man found alive at bottom of the sea 3 days after boat sank: "Total shock". That was the first step to saving his life. Doctors had to use part of his fibula to create a jaw to replace what the bear ripped off of his face. 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. They had seen the grizzly at a distance and began tracking it. This incident took place in 2016 on April 15th. I started driving in April.". He still has a tube in his throat. . So then, in a few days, a squint of life. and our 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. Man Who Had Face Torn Off by a Bear Had To Dig Debris From His Own Airway. Every day is a day of improvement, and medical staff members are still working on getting him back to his best state. 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. There is no gentle way to describe his condition. Perkins spent the next four months in hospital, undergoing numerous operations to repair the damage done by the bear. So I would message him when he was in pain, to help him through the process. She said I can't leave hospital until I can climb stairs. The victim's brother quickly responded to a call for help and contacted a rescue helicopter. They then found the bear's tracks and kept looking for the animal, hoping to find it. 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. Bear spray doesnt always work but its better than nothing.. 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. ", Since then, others have contacted Perkins for help and advice. 18. Dan Stang said that he immediately grabbed his gun and started shooting the bear. Let us know via science@newsweek.com. 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. Sept. 27, 2011.". Tough to get off.". 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. Lots of people from everywhere. Brooke had gone out elk hunting with friends and having shot one they decided to return the next day to get the body. 'I look back and the bear's on top of [Perkins]', Dan Stang said in the video. The bear not only bit down on Perkins face, but as it did it, it also lifted the man while pressing him down to the ground with his paws and claws. A still from an interview with Dan Stang, a friend of Perkins' who saved him from the attacking bear and helped get him to safety. All rights reserved. It was a conclusion that emerged from the fog of battle because the Stangs had found his camera on the ground next to where the bear knocked him off his snowmachine before mauling him. 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. Out of nowhere, the bear reappearedmuch closer than they had thought. According to Anchorage Daily News, "Wes Perkins is whole in body and still badly disfigured. Dad, teacher from Poplar Bluff, Missouri, moved to Council to teach school in 1952 or '53. Just know that I have a few more surgeries and will be gone, so I will miss a lot of work." Contact Craig Medred at craig(at)alaskadispatch.com. The cold bothers my face because of the (titanium) plates. They are not good or bad, they are simply wild animals, and that is something to be remembered. The bear had ripped off most of his jaw and tongue, and caused huge damage to one of his eyes. His left eye, which sees only light and dark, weeps constantly. wes perkins grizzly video. He now helps people who are experiencing similar recoveries from attacks. Another source of food is for the bears to find animals who have died due to winter conditions. Also known as Wes Perkins, Perkins Perkins, Perkins Charles Wesley. 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. Walking. He and a friend were hunting in the backcountry in Montana when they unexpectedly walked up on a grizzly feeding on a carcass. She said, 'You don't need me anymore. 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 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. A lot of people who get attacked never live to tell the story. And so, just to reaffirm that eventually, hell have somewhat of a normal life.. The bear then spun around several times before he started to charge at him. The bear then began to maul Mr Perkins, who lost his teeth, tongue and jaw in the attack, before Mr Stang and his son killed the bear. 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. Do you have a question about surviving bear attacks? There is no gentle way to describe his condition. Mr Stang said he immediately grabbed his gun and started shooting at the bear when he saw the animal on top of his friend. He still explores the wilderness, hunting moose and bears as he used to. 'So telling myself to function and never close my eyes or go unconscious was the main concentration.'. The best result we found for your search is Wes Henry Perkins age 50s in Oswego, IL. Could not get out much. Privacy Policy. Rather than fleeing like most usually do, the bear fed into its fighting instinct, as it likely felt threatened. The bear quickly charged at Mr Perkins, a former fire chief for the city of Nome in Alaska, leaving him helpless. A still from an interview with Perkins, stood in front of a grizzly bear hide. His facial reconstruction required titantium plates in both cheeks and a titanium jawbone. And so I just stayed focused. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? He's not the man he once was, but he's still very appreciative to be alive. Unfortunately, this provoked the mother bear, who charged. It tore the whole front away with one punch. He spent four months in hospital, undergoing a number of operations to reconstruct his face. "Some think I was taking pictures," he wrote. "@JudeHey_ @aelfwuldor2 If you google the real story: Wes Perkins bear and see image matches, these special effects makeup images will show up. And that is the amazing part of this story. Life is good, but it will never be the same after the unfortunate bear attack that nearly cost him his life. The detail and information found inside this story will blow your mind. 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 son Bret Bohn shot the bear and took these photos and a video. "All of Alaska. The bear charged at Mr Perkins, causing him to lose his teeth, tongue and jaw, before it was subdued and eventually killed by Mr Stang and his son. The animal burst out of a hole and charged the 65-year-old, tearing into him with its sharp claws. Perkins was taken to a hospital in Nome before being transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. For other inquiries, Contact Us. "Then a cane. Jesus man, I was shooting this weekend at 25 yards (75 feet). During the interview, his pen flew across the notepad without pause for difficult questions or difficult answers. Pikes (Place) Market. The day I left the hospital they told me I was addicted or dependent on opiates. He didn't call Alaska State Troopers and wait for others to act. Rowe was in the air only minutes after taking a phone call from Nate. Wes Perkins, 54, followed the big beast in a snowmobile in a hilly area outside . The detail and information found inside this story will blow your mind. Mr. Perkins only got his rifle 1/2 way off his [slinged] back and baam! Wes Perkins was out on a hunting trip in the Alaskan mountains in May 2011 when he came across a huge eight-foot grizzly bear. So lots of support for sure. . Wes Perkins, 65, who lost his teeth, tongue and. 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. 2. death_of_gnats 4 yr. ago. "Worse thing was three months in hospital bed, as I am so active," he wrote. Dannie Rose released a short film about Perkins' experience. His enthusiasm for discussion has certainly not waned. "I had a camera in my pocket, snowgo jacket. My dad was once mayor.". Wes still can't eat in the normal sense of the word. 26 surgeries and more than $1 million accumulated in medical suspenses later, Wes is getting along. I could not move my face sideways or my airway would close. I saved myself from Royal life, Harry says & insists 'sharing's an act of service', Love Island's Olivia Hawkins breaks silence as she returns to the UK, Loose Women star lined up to be Strictly's first contestant in wheelchair, Coronation Street fans horrified as Amy Barlow is raped in disturbing scenes, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Wes Perkins is from Alaska, and he knows he's lucky. Other than that, his recovery is going well, all things considered. 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. Some think I was taking pictures, he wrote. and He dedicates a lot of his time to communicating with other mauling victims, helping them get through their recovery. I had tremendous family and friend support. He added: 'It was a few miles off ahead of us so we are driving along the stretch following his tracks and then the the bear disappeared. Giant canines sliced through facial and scalp tissue as only the efficient design of mother nature could conceive. "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. Wes might find it easier to write than talk now, but he still remembers how to emphasize key points. His speech impediment has turned Perkins into a world-class scribbler. The tables were turned though when an 8ft grizzly bear attacked, ripping Perkins entire face off. 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 had no time to do anything. Wes Perkins was out on a hunting trip in the Alaskan mountains in May 2011 when he came across a huge eight-foot grizzly bear. He is thankful beyond belief, especially to the Stangs. 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!" I only had time to say, Oh sh*t! But I got my gun halfway off my back When I turned around, the bear was that close. So when I stopped, I thought the bear was ahead of me. She initially swiped his head and then his shoulder causing some nasty injuries but not life threatening. Wes was knocked off his feet as if a freight train had struck him. 'There was a bear mauling. But before they could hunt it, the bear emerged from a hole it had dug, just 70ft away from Mr Perkins. As he flew, others were rolling into action, too. So I stayed alert all the way (to Nome), and I could squeeze the hands of my two partners when they asked me questions.. 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. He has taken to trying to come up with the ultimate in smoothies. Craig Medred is a former writer for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch and Alaska Dispatch News. "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. Wes could feel his energy fading and the pain was mercifully numbed by his adrenaline. "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." The animal burst out of a hole and charged the 65-year-old, tearing . The bear began to maul Perkins, severely disfiguring his face. He told Newsweek: "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. However, as they tried to go up the hill towards the bear, they lost track of the animal which seemed to have disappeared. And finally, staff at both the Providence Alaska Medical Center and Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage helped with continuing treatment. He quickly began to spin his rifle around his shoulders and made it about half way before the bear intercepted his defensive actions. "They told me, a therapist at Providence, 'Never be able to eat or drink by mouth,' " Wes wrote, underlining the word "Never" three times. 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. "So telling myself to function and never close my eyes or go unconscious was the main concentration.". Not sure there is an animal on earth more terrifying than a grizzly bear. . Todd Orr managed to survive not one but two savage maulings while he was out hiking in Montana in October 2016. Orr eventually was able to walk back to his truck and drive 17 miles to get help. Fortunately, Kornak was able to fend off her attacker with a can of bear spray. Been on the fire dept. Do lots of walking in Seattle when we are there. with a video of the meetup being viewed more than 15 million times on TikTok. "So telling myself to function and never close my eyes or go unconscious was the main concentration.".