Two college wrestlers from Northwest College in Wyoming survived a brutal grizzly bear attack Saturday while hunting in the Shoshone National Forest.
Kendell Cummings and Brady Lowry were hunting with their teammates, August Harrison and Orrin Jackson, at the time of the incident, according to Fox News. Lowry was attacked first and suffered a broken arm and a bite to the right thigh.
Wyoming college wrestlers injured during bear attack, left ‘blood-soaked,’ coach says https://t.co/0CvYVGwgsj
— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 18, 2022
“Before you could even think or blink, there’s a bear that came running out of the trees right in front of me,” Lowry said, the outlet reported. “It was beating me up pretty good.”
After the bear attacked Lowry, Cummings tried to fight off the animal but was then chased by the bear, Fox News reported. Lowry was able to call 911 for help and yell to their teammates as the bear chased Cummings.
“He was just drenched in blood coming down the hill everywhere,” Harrison said to Fox News.
“For those guys, there’s a lot of emotional trauma. I don’t think we can even begin to describe what went on there with them having to go and rescue a kid, bring him out and carry him out,” Northwest College wrestling coach Jim Zeigler said, Fox News reported.
Cummings was airlifted to a nearby hospital and Lowry was taken by ambulance, according to Fox News. Lowry was released Monday and Cummings could go home as early as later this week. The two are not expected to wrestle for a while.
Both Cummings and Lowry were carrying bear spray but were not able to use it during the attack, according to Northwest College president Lisa Watson, Big Horn Radio Network reported. (RELATED: Black Bear Attacks 10-Year-Old Boy Playing In Grandparent’s Yard)
“I am so grateful for those who assisted these brave young men in the aftermath of this terrifying ordeal and that no lives were lost,” Watson said in an email to the school, according to Big Horn Radio Network. “It took quick thinking and no small amount of bravery for this to have ended without tragedy.”
“May their recovery be swift, and their spirits remain strong,” Watson added.
Northwest College responded to the Daily Caller by providing a copy of the email statement from Watson.