"I probably saved Wes's life and my son saved my life in the same ordeal," Dan Stang said. The animal burst out of a hole and charged the 65-year-old, tearing into him with its sharp claws. He was then rushed back to Nome, and then to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. An Alaska bear hunter is in a critical condition after he was savagely mauled by the grizzly bear he was tracking. He said he immediately grabbed his gun and started shooting at the animal. Wes Perkins, 65, who lost his teeth, tongue and jaw during the 2011 attack, said he and two friends were driving around a hill while tracking the 'nice size bear'. Could not get out much. His left eye, which sees only light and dark, weeps constantly. It was a big bite.". In the video Perkins, who became severely disfigured from the attack, said: 'We were out bear hunting. 65-year-old Wes Perkins recently shared his story with Newsweek. "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. Neither of us woke until the bear ripped into the canvas, recalled Plur Nilssen. Doctors had to use part of his fibula to create a jaw to replace what the bear ripped off of his face. His will to survive and keep going, stay positive.". While Sommer's friend warded off the bear with a blast of bear spray, Sommer wasn't so lucky. When the helicopter arrived Perkins said he was able to walk to it with help. Amazingly, the man was able to fire off his last shot, momentarily knocking the beast . When I turned around, the bear was that close. I do everything else.'. Wes was knocked off his feet as if a freight train had struck him. He also had a fibula bone graft, where they took his left fibula from the lower leg and made a jaw from it. 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. 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. They just stitched it back in place. He and a friend were hunting in the backcountry in Montana when they unexpectedly walked up on a grizzly feeding on a carcass. If I was unconscious, I would have died. 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. Wes still can't eat in the normal sense of the word. 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. 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. "In September, [another person] was mauled by moose while hunting with a buddy. 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. He was quoted in the interview with Anchorage Daily News: I had to dig stuff out of (my) airway to breathe, he wrote. Mr Stang then radioed for help, and it was Mr Perkins brother who answered the call and helped dispatch responders. He and a friend were hunting in the backcountry in Montana when they unexpectedly walked up on a grizzly feeding on a carcass. I don't sit in front of the TV. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. The best result we found for your search is Wes Henry Perkins age 50s in Oswego, IL. He has a speech therapist in Anchorage, Anne Ver Hoef, the snowshoer of Iditarod Trail Invitational fame. Perkins and his 2 hunting partners were following the tracks of a very large boar brown bear in the snow from the convenience of their snowmobiles. "I look back and the bear's on top of [Perkins]", Dan Stang told Rosie in the film. The bear bit over and over. Just another site. Just know that I have a few more surgeries and will be gone, so I will miss a lot of work." His partners were Dan Stang, a Nome dentist, and his son, Edward, a student in dentistry school. Lots of people from everywhere. Wes remembers them all. Wes Perkins, a lifelong Nome resident, had been tracking the bear with friends on snow machines Sunday east of the Seward Peninsula city when the big grizzly charged, according to Alaska State . 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. So when I stopped, I thought the bear was ahead of me. The lbs., too, is underlined three times. 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.. I found out on my own about the sports bottle so with the trach (trachea) tube out I could suck like a straw. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. "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. Rather than fleeing like most usually do, the bear fed into its fighting instinct, as it likely felt threatened. The bear then rode on his back down a slope, crushing his body and started ripping off his face. "I only had time to say, 'Oh shit!' Fair warning: Some of the accounts in this story are EXTREMELY GRAPHIC. Then think about it dragging on for months. ", "I turned and saw the bear, full charge," he wrote. Wes might find it easier to write than talk now, but he still remembers how to emphasize key points. Hunting Gone Wrong | The Gruesome Mauling of Wes Perkins *Still Alive. It tore the whole front away with one punch. 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. The bear quickly charged at Mr Perkins, a former fire chief for the city of Nome in Alaska, leaving him helpless. A. Perkins most powerful and flexible tools for video analysis old Grizzly off him 5 yr. ago presence the dead! This Bear Ripped Wes Perkins Face Off Scary Bear Attacks 70.2K subscribers Subscribe 3.1K 87K views 11 months ago Support us through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/user?u=73787379 Enjoy 2. Cookie Notice "It was 90 degrees in the room they had me in," he wrote. Orr eventually was able to walk back to his truck and drive 17 miles to get help. That's what Shannun Rammel did following his grizzly bear experience up in Choteau, Montana. They wanted help if I was willing to help give them some direction as to what may happen. The trio spotted the 8ft grizzly bear off in the distance but lost sight of the beast after tracking it for a while. He explained: "I never lost consciousness. 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. Todd Orr managed to survive not one but two savage maulings while he was out hiking in Montana in October 2016. He dedicates a lot of his time to communicating with other mauling victims, helping them get through their recovery. They don't do tongue transplants yet," but he's working at the speech and it's improving. Perkins' brother Nate made the radio call. "Like I said, I have to move on and keep doing what I was doing," he wrote. She said, 'You don't need me anymore. brain zaps when falling asleep; mini husbilar till salu amsterdam. 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. Also, (as) long as I lay still just right I was able to keep my airway open. The bear then spun around several times before he started to charge at him. She suffered two fractures and severe lacerations on her head, neck, and back, according to a GoFundMe page. Mr. Perkins only got his rifle 1/2 way off his [slinged] back and baam! Neither are they good. And, he became addicted to painkillers, having taken morphine, and opiates during the recovery. Wes wrote that was not the case. More than four months after the bear attack, Wes was finally well enough to get around on his own, but his treatment was far from over. Doctors had to use part of his fibula to create a jaw to replace what the bear ripped off of his face. He was taken to Madison Valley Medical Center in Ennis where he needed eight hours of stitching to sort out his injuries. "I have what is called a fibula bone graft," Perkins told Newsweek. I could not move my face sideways or my airway would close. But this is a story of survival, incredible willpower, and how the unbelievable can become the truth. So telling myself to function and never close my eyes or go unconscious was the main concentration.. with a video of the meetup being viewed more than 15 million times on TikTok. So when I stopped, I thought the bear was ahead of me. 'There was a bear mauling. "I can taste some," he wrote, "and smell a little. Driving around the brush stand, Perkins stopped to rummage through his pack and get his camera for a keepsake photo of the scenery. More followed as Nome organized a rescue that was both epic and lucky. However, as they tried to go up the hill towards the bear, they lost track of the animal which seemed to have disappeared. He is thankful to be alive, thankful for a strong and supportive family, thankful for his many friends here on the edge of the Bering Sea, and thankful that even though he heads to Seattle's Harborview Medical Center later this month for yet another surgery, he continues to make steady progress toward an even greater recovery. Wes didn't know then if he was going to live or die. Lee Brooke had the left-side of his body crushed following a grizzly bear attack in Wyoming in October 2016. He tried to punch the bear but it then bit his arm. He spent five days in a medically induced coma in Seattle hospital bed. Incredible. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 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. He hasn't let his ordeal deter him from exploring the wilderness, and still hunts bears and moose like he did before. The day I left the hospital they told me I was addicted or dependent on opiates. 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. '", "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. But before they could hunt it, the bear emerged from a hole it had dug, just 70ft away from Mr Perkins. Talking to filmmaker Donnie Rose for a YouTube short documentary, Mr Perkins said he remembers all details of the attack. I started screaming to Ludvig, but the bear grabbed me and sank its teeth into my neck, dragging me out of my sleeping bag. So how did this nightmare of situation come about? We saw it had been running. 17:26 GMT 23 Jan 2023 The bear then seemingly appeared out of nowhere and within close proximity. Wes Perkins is whole in body and still badly disfigured. Doctors had to use part of his fibula to create a jaw to replace what the bear ripped off of his face. By But suddenly the grizzly came charging towards Perkins. Something went wrong, please try again later. Terrie, in the kitchen nearby packaging freshly ground caribou meat as this interview takes place, only bobs her head in agreement. "The bear grabbed his face, bit it and ripped it off. The detail and information found inside this story will blow your mind. Grizzly Bear takes Shotgun Blast at point-blank range. But I got (my) gun 1/2 way off my back . ", 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. "Surgery on my face left my one good eye swollen shut," he wrote. Over ten years later, Perkins' face has healed, though the scarring remains, and he is able to live a happy life. Life is good, but it will never be the same after the unfortunate bear attack that nearly cost him his life. "Some think I was taking pictures," he wrote. ", Not long after, a physical therapist "came in with a walker," he wrote. Don't miss a story! wes perkins grizzly video1h20 meaning in finance1h20 meaning in finance So we walk around the lake where they live. Wesley Perkins is now in the Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where surgeons are planning reconstructive surgery to repair the damage done by the bear that attacked him Sunday on Alaska's. PICTURED: Alaska mother, 24, and her one-year-old son mauled to death by polar bear near the entrance of elementary school in remote village, Hundreds of swimmers at a surf carnival flee the water at Manly Beach after a dolphin was attacked by a group of sharks near the shore. His left eye, which sees only light and dark, weeps constantly. Mr Perkins said he was aware of what was happening during the attack and kept his airway open to stay alive. I do everything else.". "Took the class & passed all my skills. I could see images, then people. Been on the fire dept. "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. In 2011, Perkins had his face ripped off. billion pound cruise Perkins would spend four months in the hospital and underwent numerous operations. But they are certainly not related." His left eye, which sees only light and dark, weeps constantly. WATCH. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. James Callery For Mailonline and Over ten years later, Perkins' face is healed, though scarred, and he lives a full and happy life. Beim Jagen wurde er von einem Grizzly angegriffen, der ihm die Zhne, den Kiefer und die Zunge herausriss. 26 surgeries and more than $1 million accumulated in medical suspenses later, Wes is getting along. Perkins was taken to a hospital in Nome before being transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. A rescue helicopter was dispatched immediately thanks to help from Perkins brother who knew a pilot. I could feel his teeth going deep into the flesh, and I knew it was serious. "I had a camera in my pocket, snowgo jacket. 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. NEXT:REMEMBER WHEN THIS TEENAGER SHOT AN 8-POINT BUCK IN HIS HOUSE? One bite on my forearm went through to the bone and I heard a crunch. Life is good, but it will never be the same after the unfortunate bear attack that nearly cost him his life. Categories . I see people, they say welcome home. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Serendipitously, the first person to respond was Perkins' brother, who swiftly contacted a rescue helicopter, piloted by Ben Rowe. I would not get 69 feet from a bear in the zoo. Dannie Rose released a short film about Perkins' experience. 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.. I cooked for people in town, made sausage, breads, etc.I push myself hard. Amber Kornak had just started her dream job in May 2018 as a Grizzly Bear Wildlife Technician for the US Fish and Wildlife Service when she was savagely mauled. So I went to the second therapist at Alaska Regional and had a second test. 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. 1. "I had no airway unless I kept my head tilted to the side just right," Perkins told Newsweek. What followed after it burst from a snow cave has been an experience he couldn't imagine in his worst nightmares. Doctors had to use part of his fibula to create a jaw to replace what the bear ripped off of his face. "My (bad) eye, if I can keep and it does OK, maybe in 10 years they can fix it. Perkins said the weather was bad - snowing a bit and slightly overcast. Paramedic Wes Perkins, from Alaska, is lucky to be alive after going out on a bear hunt with two pals. 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. There is talk now of a partial face transplant somewhere in the future to try to make him look and function better. So how did this nightmare of situation come about? "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. 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 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. "@JudeHey_ @aelfwuldor2 If you google the real story: Wes Perkins bear and see image matches, these special effects makeup images will show up. We had one in 10 minutes for $250 and 2 people wanting to give us one. And so, just to reaffirm that eventually, hell have somewhat of a normal life.. The tables were turned though when an 8ft grizzly bear attacked, ripping Perkins entire face off. So I was lucky I was able to put myself through this at home. He was on a hunting trip with friends and family when it happened. 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. His left eye, which sees only light and dark, weeps constantly. Perkins was there the day that happened. So I spent a couple of months at home that fall putting myself through the Wes Perkins Opiate Withdrawal Clinic.. Wes still hopes to improve his speech. "I only had time to say, 'Oh shit!' 26 surgeries and more than $1 million accumulated in medical suspenses later, Wes is getting along. He added: 'As I stayed there I knew I was getting hypothermic a little bit. 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. When help arrived about an hour later, Mr Perkins was able to walk inside the helicopter himself. That act was accompanied by many others that have allowed Perkins to carry on with life. 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. 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. I was back to normal, a small, slow walk in about five days. 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. 65-year-old Wes Perkins recently shared his story with Newsweek. 34 years. 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. I had no time to do anything.". Includes Address (14) Phone (8) See Results. Perkins said: '[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. He was forthright in the extreme about what he has been through. "It was either lie there and bleed out or get the hell out of there, so I left.". . There is no gentle way to describe his condition. I could not move my face sideways or my airway would close. Once being chased by people down an alley. His facial reconstruction required titantium plates in both cheeks and a titanium jawbone. The tracks were impressive and showed that the bear was walking and running at various points along the creek. Extraordinary and incredible are the only two words fitting enough to describe the miracle that happened. 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. "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. Eventually, the bear succumbed, and eventually died. 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. He was initially taken to a hospital in Nome and then to Seattle. Interviewed by Youtuber Dannie Rose for a . Wes Perkins, KL0FM, of Nome, Alaska, was seriously mauled by a grizzly bear during a hunting trip on Sunday, May 14. To survive, Mr Perkins instinctively removed the mud from his fresh wounds and he was then airlifted to receive medical care. Four months after the attack, Wes is able to get around on his own, but is far from being back to life as he knew it. Scary. He didn't call Alaska State Troopers and wait for others to act. Perkins rolled him forward and buried his face in the snow to help numb it while they immediately radioed for emergency aid. He is thankful beyond belief, especially to the Stangs. Slowly, that is changing as his health continues to improve and he learns to accept that his appearance is likely to attract attention. So I stopped to take camera out of pocket and put it in my dash bag as I could shoot the gun. The bear had also caused huge damage to one of Perkins' eyes. Also known as Wes Perkins, Perkins Perkins, Perkins Charles Wesley. Lived In Morehead City NC, Chino Valley AZ, Prescott Valley AZ, Fort Lauderdale FL. what was the premier league called before; Tags . 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. Both were badly mauled, the boy's face was gone much like the man in the pictures. A team effort and incredible will power of a human to survive is what helped create this rescue and survival of epic proportions. Wes could feel his energy fading and the pain was mercifully numbed by his adrenaline. Published by at June 13, 2022. Wes Perkins, 65, was on a hunting trip with his friend Dan Stang and his pal's son Edward. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Doctors had to amputate one of Alexeys legs because of the severity of his injuries. 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. ", Darcee Perkins, Perkins' daughter, told Newsweek: "Not any person would have survived this or continue to todayI couldn't have. Also, (as) long as I lay still just right I was able to keep my airway open. 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. The pair were forced to set up camp on the island of Nordaustlandet on July 22 due to bad weather. "I make blend, Ensure milk, blueberries. The father was [] Craig Medred is a former writer for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch and Alaska Dispatch News. iStock / Getty Images Plus / Donnie Rosie on Youtube. He still explores the wilderness, hunting moose and bears as he used to. Pikes (Place) Market. I worked in Glacier National Park in the summers of 1960 and '61 (college summer jobs). Anyone who thinks the bears are our friends, think again. 'Ed was ahead of me and I was right behind him. Wes, the SurvivorWes is getting along as best as he can. His dad survived and was out of the hospital after 6 days. Interviewed by Youtuber Dannie Rose for. At its flank allowing follow up shots mph ) in 1970 and Mark Farnham ( se ) wes perkins bear video.. I used a cane, as they said I had to. Every day is a day of improvement, and medical staff members are still working on getting him back to his best state. That wasnt the end of her ordeal though as she then had to hike two miles to get to her work vehicle and then drive to get help. He said when he rolled Perkins over he saw 'his whole face rolled right off'. The horrific attack took place in the Alaskan wilderness in 2011. "Extraordinary" and "incredible" are the only two words fitting enough to describe the miracle that happened. . (But) outside of Harborview, on a fence, I would hang the cane, everyday walk farther from it.