“I Survived a Bear Attack”

    Let’s back up: For three years, I went to a sleepaway camp every summer. In 2019, my best friend, Sam, and I went on a backpacking trip run by that same camp. Our group had 11 kids and 2 counselors. We hiked and camped near Moab, Utah.

    The area was beautiful. The bright-orange, flat-topped mountains glowed in the sun. I got to do a lot of new things, like climbing in canyons. The trip was really fun. I didn’t want it to end.

    On our last night, we decided to sleep under the stars instead of in our tents. The weather was perfect. We ate dinner and talked about our amazing week. When it got dark, we put our sleeping bags in a line. I was on the end, next to Sam.

    A few of us stayed up late talking. Around 11 p.m., we fell asleep. The last thing I remember thinking was how beautiful the stars looked.

    Let’s backtrack: In 2019, my best friend, Sam, and I went on a backpacking trip run by the sleepaway camp I’d gone to for the past three summers. Our group of 11 kids and 2 counselors hiked and camped near Moab, Utah.

    The area was beautiful, with bright-orange, flat-topped mountains that glowed in the sun. I experienced a lot of new things, like climbing in canyons, and had so much fun that I didn’t want the trip to end.

    The weather was perfect on our last night, and we decided to sleep under the stars instead of in our tents. After eating dinner and talking about our many adventures, we put our sleeping bags in a line. I was on the end, next to Sam.

    A few of us stayed up late talking and laughing—and being shushed by our counselors. I finally fell asleep around 11 p.m., thinking about how beautiful the stars looked.

    But soon, I woke up to what I thought was Mason licking me. It was still dark. At first, I was confused. Then I understood: A black bear was biting my ear. I was too shocked to feel pain. But I was really scared.

    I could feel my ear dangling from the side of my head. The bear hadn’t ripped it all the way off, but it had come close. I had heard that you’re supposed to lie still if a bear attacks you, so I did.

    It felt like an eternity, but I was probably lying there for less than a minute. It wasn’t working. The bear kept pawing at me.

    But soon, I woke up to what I thought was Mason licking me. It was still dark, and I was confused for the first few moments. Then it all became horribly clear: I was camping, and there was a black bear biting my ear. I was too shocked to feel pain, but I was still absolutely terrified.

    I could feel my ear dangling from the side of my head. The bear hadn’t ripped it off entirely, but it had come close. I remembered hearing that you’re supposed to lie still if a bear attacks you, so that’s what I did.

    Although it felt like an eternity, I was probably lying there for less than a minute. The bear continued pawing at me, and I knew I needed a different plan.

    That’s when I shook Sam awake. At first, he was annoyed—but then I whispered what was happening. Sam whispered back that I should stay still. I already knew that wasn’t working. The bear kept clawing at me and trying to get me out of my sleeping bag. 

    Then I felt the skin on my forehead rip open as the bear bit me again. I knew that if I didn’t do something soon, I could end up dead. The bear moved down to my feet and started trying to drag me away. This was my chance to escape. I took a deep breath and threw my sleeping bag aside as I sprinted over to a picnic table. 

    I started yelling, “Everybody wake up! Wake up! There’s a bear!” Once everyone realized I wasn’t playing a prank, we all yelled and made loud noises until the bear ran away. I was left standing on the picnic table, covered in blood.

    I shook Sam awake. At first, he was annoyed. But then I whispered what was happening. Sam whispered back that I should stay still. But that wasn’t working. The bear kept clawing at me and trying to get me out of my sleeping bag.

    Then the bear bit me again. I felt the skin on my forehead rip open. I knew that if I didn’t do something soon, I could die. The bear moved down to my feet. It was trying to drag me away. This was my chance to escape. I took a deep breath. I threw my sleeping bag aside and ran over to a picnic table.

    I yelled, “Everybody wake up! Wake up! There’s a bear!” Once everyone realized I wasn’t playing a prank, we all yelled and made loud noises. Finally the bear ran away. I was left standing on the picnic table, covered in blood.

    That’s when I shook Sam awake. He was annoyed at first—but when I whispered what was happening, he tried to help. He whispered that I should stay still, but I’d already tried that strategy, and it wasn’t working. The bear kept clawing at me and trying to get me out of my sleeping bag.

    Then I felt the skin on my forehead rip open as the bear bit me again. I knew that if I didn’t do something soon, I could easily die. When the bear moved down to my feet and started trying to drag me away, I grabbed at the opportunity to escape. I took a deep breath and threw my sleeping bag aside as I sprinted over to a picnic table.

    I started yelling, “Everybody wake up! Wake up! There’s a bear!” Once everyone realized I wasn’t playing a prank, we all yelled and made loud noises until the bear finally ran away. I was left standing on the picnic table, covered in blood.