Julia Magsombol
Lakeside Leader
Bear-attack survivor Jeremy Evans was the guest speaker at an event put on by the Northern Lakes College Students’ Association (NLCSA).
The association has a ‘ NLCSA Day’ each year and this year’s – which fell on Jan. 13 – was the first time they’d had a guest speaker. He had quite a story to tell.
Evans, nicknamed ‘The Grizzly Dude,’ has been talking online about his story.
That’s where NLCAS executive director Trish Genowish came across him, and suggested the idea of inviting him.
We all thought he could be the perfect speaker for our students‘ association day, says Ozero.
“We want to highlight the resilience and perseverance of our students. We want to inspire them that they can overcome their challenges.
Evans told the 40-odd attendees his adventure happened on a solo hunting trip in the summer of 2017, the Panther River and Burnt Timber Creek area, west of Sundre.
“I don’t know why I put my bear spray inside of my back pack, I should have hung it on my chest,” said Evans.
Evans explained how he had his binoculars up and was watching some sheep.
Until he saw a cub running in front of him.
“I knew it was a bear cub but where’s the mama?” he said.
Evans heard a branch break behind him. Before he knew it, the bear was attacking him.
“I smashed my backpack on the bear’s face, but her whole mouth was already clenched in my hands,” said Evans.
The bear finally retreated and was far from him.
Evans tried to grab his bear spray but he said everything was so fast. The bear was near him again and so he decided to climb a tree.
“But the bear reached my legs, she pulled me down from the tree and slammed my body to the ground,” he said.
The bear did not stop attacking Evans.
She bit his face, which caused his major injuries: the skin on his face detached from his head, his left eye hung out of the socket, and his right eye was smashed into his skull.
The bear was on the top of Evans.
“I shoved my finger down her throat and poked her eye,” said Evans. “She then retreated. I thought that was the end.
“I texted my wife. I thought about not seeing my daughter’s first boyfriend, graduation, and wedding.”
Evans got up to go to his truck, parked far from where he got attacked.
He ended up falling hundreds of feet into big boulders.
“I fell down and that time I wanted to give up,” he said. “But I pulled out my phone and played Baby Shark; my daughter likes that song. I got up.”
Evans drove himself to the lodge, which he said took him eight hours.
Evans received medical treatment that night.
“My family was my rock,” he said. “You just have to find your rock or people who will make you get up when you can’t anymore.”
“Do you still explore the mountains or still hike?” asked one of the attendees.
“I still very much do,” Evans said. “It’s my passion and it’s still something I want to do. There’s no difference even after the attack.”
Evans said he went back to where he got attacked just weeks after he got out of the hospital.
After the event, the students’ association members thanked Evans for his speech of inspiration.
“It was emotional and it opened my eyes and perspective,” says Ozero.
Ozero hopes for more people to come on their next NLCSA day which will be next year around January.
Jeremy Evans talking about his experiences during the bear attack.