How a B.C. man rescued himself from the jaws of a grizzly bear

Joe Pendry used his experience as a boxer to fight for his life when a mother grizzly attacked and severely injured him in B.C.’s East Kootenay region earlier this month.

The 63-year-old was out hunting elk 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 charging bear in the leg but it kept coming. 

She said he punched and even bit the animal’s ear as he fought for his life, suffering gruesome injuries that include his lips and part of his scalp being torn off, losing a finger and suffering numerous broken bones. 

Pendry said her husband repeatedly punched the bear in the nose, drawing on his boxing skills, but the animal intensified its assault.

Pendry said at one stage her husband’s head was in the animal’s mouth.

“That’s when she tore his scalp off and did some major damage to his face,” she 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 the animal off, calling 911 and his son for help, and was flown to Kelowna General Hospital, where he’s undergone multiple surgeries to his face and other parts of his body. 

“It was very touch and go,” Pendry said. “But he’s a tough fighter.”

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) said in a Facebook post that a dead grizzly found in the area days later was responsible for the attack, with Pendry saying she was told it died of sepsis. 

“The COS recovered the bear and through DNA analysis were able to confirm that this 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 hospital and is continuing to recover. “

Pendry said her husband’s experiences as a boxer and outdoor hunting guide “helped him out in the bush” and allowed him to beat the odds.

“It saved his life, because not many people … live through a grizzly attack.” 

But Pendry also said her husband faces a long recovery and he’s experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

She said he “still dreams about the bear” and may never be able to return to work as a foreman with a highway maintenance company.

Pendry said the incident has also taken a toll on her, but that she has family supporting her.

“I have good days, I have bad days,” she said. “I never thought I’d have to go through this. I’m holding it together for everybody else. I’m trying to be strong for everybody else, and I’m holding it inside. I think one day, I’m going have to let it out.”

According to WildSafeBC, the COS receives approximately 400 to 500 calls per year regarding grizzly bears.

The non-profit says on its website that grizzly bear attacks are uncommon but can occasionally be fatal.

The site also provides tips on how to avoid encounters with bears.