Joe Pendry used his experience as a boxer to fight for his life when a mother grizzly attacked and seriously injured him in the East Kootenay region of British Columbia earlier this month.
The 63-year-old was hunting moose near Fort Steele, just northeast of Cranbrook, on Oct. 2 when he encountered the bear and two cubs.
His wife, Janice Pendry, said her husband shot the bear in the leg, but it kept moving forward.
She said she punched and even bit the animal’s ear as she fought for her life, suffering horrific injuries that included having her lips and part of her scalp torn off, losing a finger and suffering numerous bone fractures.
Pendry said her husband repeatedly punched the bear in the nose, taking advantage of his boxing skills, but the animal escalated its attack.
Pendry said at one point her husband’s head was in the animal’s mouth.
“That’s when she scalped him and caused significant damage to his face,” he said.
Pendry said her husband is also recovering from a broken nose, broken cheekbones, two broken arms and broken ribs.
He was eventually able to fend off the animal, called 911 and his son for help, and was airlifted to Kelowna General Hospital, where he underwent multiple surgeries on his face and other parts of his body.
“It was very complicated,” Pendry said. “But he’s a tough fighter.”
The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service (COS) said in a Facebook post that a dead grizzly bear found in the area days later was responsible for the attack, and Pendry said he was told it died of sepsis.
“COS recovered the bear and through DNA analysis was able to confirm that it was the bear involved in the attack,” the service wrote in its post. “A huge thank you to everyone who supported the response efforts. The victim remains in the hospital and continues to recover.”
Outdoor boxing and hunting skills.
Pendry said her husband’s experiences as a boxer and outdoor hunting guide “helped him in the bush” and allowed him to overcome the odds.
“It saved his life, because not many people…survive a grizzly bear attack.”
But Pendry also said her husband faces a long recovery and is experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
She said he “still dreams about the bear” and may never be able to work as a foreman at a road maintenance company again.
Pendry said the incident also took a toll on her, but she has family to support her.
“I have good days and bad days,” he said. “I never thought I’d have to go through this. I’m holding it together for everyone else. I’m trying to be strong for everyone else, and I’m keeping it inside. I think one day I’ll have to let it out.”
According to WildSafeBC, the COS receives approximately 400 to 500 calls a year about grizzly bears.
The nonprofit says on its website that grizzly bear attacks are rare but can sometimes be fatal.
The site also offers tips on how to avoid encounters with bears.
