Shayne Patrick, the hiker who was attacked by a grizzly bear last week, answered pressing questions about how he survived and shared additional details that make surviving even more dramatic.
In an interview with ABC News, Patrick explained that the bear attack happened during his honeymoon and after he recovered from a brain tumor. He said he thinks "the universe decided to test me again, I guess."
The incident happened on May 19 while Patrick hiked along a trail on Signal Mountain in Grand Teton National Park. He had been out on the trail for a little more than an hour and decided to turn around and head back to his wife who was waiting in the parking lot.
But then, Patrick saw a bear cub about 50 yards away and he sensed trouble might follow, so he stopped and grabbed his bear spray. Before he knew it, though, the bear sow had started charging him, so he took a defensive position.
Patrick said he turned his back to her and got into a prone position to protect his vital organs. He also covered his neck with his hands. As the bear bit and clawed him, he said he screamed in pain. He deduced that his screams redirected her focus onto his head.
However, when the bear went to bite his head, he heard a popping sound. At first, he thought it was the bear's teeth entering his skull, but then he realized, he still had the bear spray in his hand. The bear had, in fact, bitten into the canister.
What saved him from the bear attack
Although the bear took off after biting into the bear spray, Patrick still had his injuries to deal with. He moved as fast as he could up a hill and luckily found cell service. Once he did, he contacted his wife, who was also an emergency medical technician. During their call, she went into "EMT mode" and told him to apply tourniquets. Afterward, Patrick waited for park rangers, who quickly arrived via helicopter.
Patrick, his wife, and even the park service credited his quick thinking and preparation with saving his life. Officials with the National Park Service even said Patrick had also taken every precaution to avoid a bear attack.
Patrick explained that before the attack, he had witnessed shootings, improvised bomb attacks, and mortar attacks while serving in the Army overseas, but he called the bear attack "the most violent thing I have ever experienced."
Although he was attacked, Patrick said he didn't hold a grudge and even told park rangers not to kill the bear. He believed that she was just trying to protect her cub and the Park Service agreed.
