Im [now] able to swallow a full-size vitamin that I couldnt swallow five months ago, Id choke on it, he added. "I never lost consciousness," he told Donnie Rose. It's hard to imagine the recovery, and the person has no idea what to expect or how long the process will be. He spent two months recovering in Anchorage," Perkins said. and our Some of it is extremely gruesome and vivid. Perkins and his wife Terri pictured this month, Perkins pictured here with his daughter Darcee Perkins, who told Newsweek: 'Not any person would have survived this or continue to todayI couldn't have. 'So telling myself to function and never close my eyes or go unconscious was the main concentration. 18. ', Perkins dedicates a lot of his time to helping other victims of mauling incidents through their recovery, Perkins was savaged by the bear in what has been described as one of the most horrific attacks on record, leaving his face severely disfigured. Man he once was, but it does n't look like a prosthesis California. Paramedic Wes Perkins, from Alaska, is lucky to be alive after going out on a bear hunt with two pals. He ended up losing his tongue, having his jaw smashed, and left gasping for air before the bear was eventually shot dead. Any Wes. 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. 65-year-old Wes Perkins recently shared his story with Newsweek. Mr Stang then radioed for help, and it was Mr Perkins brother who answered the call and helped dispatch responders. Do you have an animal or nature story to share with Newsweek? GRAPHIC: Man Loses Face in Alaskan Grizzly Bear Attack But Considers Himself Lucky to Be Alive, Silenced 12 Gauge Icy Mallard Hole Duck Hunt! Life is good, but it will never be the same after the unfortunate bear attack that nearly cost him his life. Life is good, but it will never be the same after the unfortunate bear attack that nearly cost him his life. Everything he consumes comes from a blender now, but its better than being underground. August 7, 2021 7:30 am ET. It is nothing short of a miracle that Wes Perkins is still alive to tell his story today. Other than that, his recovery is going well, all things considered. And, he became addicted to painkillers, having taken morphine, and opiates during the recovery. By James Callery For Mailonline and Ruth Bashinsky For Dailymail.Com, Published: 12:26 EST, 23 January 2023 | Updated: 10:31 EST, 28 January 2023. The 8-foot-tall bear then began to charge at him, leading his son to start shooting at the bear too. One year later, he returned to the wild with the people who saved his life. To view it, confirm your age. Perkins spent the next four months in hospital, undergoing numerous operations. If I was unconscious, I would have died. He also had a fibula bone graft, where they took his left fibula from the lower leg and made a jaw from it. In my mind, Wes will forever be the luckiest unlucky gentleman to walk this earth. 25 months. The attack has now become the subject of a short documentary by filmmaker Donnie Rosie, who was in Alaska for another project when he found out about Perkins' story. According to Anchorage Daily News, Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Press J to jump to the feed. "I have what is called a fibula bone graft," Perkins told Newsweek. Rather than fleeing like most usually do, the bear fed into it's fighting instinct, as it likely felt threatened. "Some think I was taking pictures," he wrote. Doctors had to use part of his fibula to create a jaw to replace what the bear ripped off of his face. He nearly lost his life as essentially half of his face was ripped off by a big brown bear. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. I only had time to say, Oh shit! But I got (my) gun 1/2 way off my back . We saw some bears earlier in the day.'. Houston Area H.A.M.B.ers. 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. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Katmai National Park in Alaska is known for its many brown bears that are drawn to Brooks Falls where they enjoy a buffet of salmon, so tourists can expect to encounter . 26 surgeries and more than $1 million accumulated in medical suspenses later, Wes is getting along. 'I probably saved Wes' life and my son saved my life from the whole ordeal,' the elder Stang said. "I had to open my airways because I had a bunch of mud here my face was all tore up lost my teeth, my tongue, my jaw. Meanwhile, Mr Perkins remained aware of his surroundings and even managed to speak with his friends while they waited for assistance. 2 next Reply Author. The detail and information found inside this story will blow your mind. Big bear.. As soon as the bear mauled onto Perkins, his hunting buddy Dan Stang grabbed a gun and started shooting the bear. The day I left the hospital they told me I was addicted or dependent on opiates. Man Had His Face Eaten Off By a Grizzly Bear w/Tom Segura | Joe Rogan. When help arrived about an hour later, Mr Perkins was able to walk inside the helicopter himself. "I was lucky enough that I was able to get up, with their help, and walk into the helicopter," Perkins told Donnie Rosie in the video. Giant canines sliced through facial and scalp tissue as only the efficient design of mother nature could conceive. Even as the Stangs began life-saving first aid, they were radioing for help from Nome, a community far from anywhere at the tip of the Seward Peninsula jutting into the sea closer to Russia than Anchorage, the urban hub of the 49th state. I graduated from UNT with a Bachelor's of Science in kinesiology and a minor in history. Wes wants everyone to be careful, and to remember wild animals are not your friends. In 2011, Perkins had his face ripped off. He 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. Wes Perkins - Bear. I know how people cannot function or hold-full time jobs, raise families while in this state, as there was no way I could do that and go through withdrawals. As he flew, others were rolling into action, too. Wes Perkisn was attacked by a bear while out hunting in 2011. Credit: Donnie Rose/YouTube Wes had to have titanium plates inserted in his cheeks and a titanium rib around his jawbone.. He was quoted in the interview with Anchorage Daily News: I had to dig stuff out of (my) airway to breathe, he wrote. Perkins rolled him forward and buried his face in the snow to help numb it while they immediately radioed for emergency aid. In the video Perkins, who became severely disfigured from the attack, said: 'We were out bear hunting. I had no time to do anything. I do everything else.". Wes actively works to encourage other survivors of animal attacks to. Avg Project -Projects. Serendipitously, the first person to respond was Perkins' brother, who swiftly contacted a rescue helicopter, piloted by Ben Rowe. 'I was getting wet from the snow and starting to get cold,' Perkins, who waited in for nearly an hour before help arrived, said. It turned out to be bad news for Perkins. 'There was a bear mauling. Perkins only got his rifle 1/2 way off his [slinged] back and baam! Perkins was taken to a hospital in Nome before being transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. And that is the amazing part of this story. If you are thinking of hiring Wes Perkins, we recommend double-checking their license status with the license board and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes. He dedicates a lot of his time to communicating with other mauling victims, helping them get through their recovery. I figure* it took that bear 3 seconds (count, 1, 2, 3 and he's on you) to cover 69 feet. Nine steps from 69 feet, according to Fish and Game. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. He had titanium plates inserted in both cheeks and a titanium rib around the jawbone during the facial reconstruction process. Life is good, but it will never be the same after the unfortunate bear attack that nearly cost him his life. That act was accompanied by many others that have allowed Perkins to carry on with life. Don't go bear hunting if you wanna keep your face. Perkins, who is a trained paramedic, recalls the attack vividly. He pretty much single-handedly organized a rescue to lift his brother from the wilderness of the Kigluaik Mountains, about 30 miles east of this small community. He still has a tube in his throat. PERKINS Woodrow Wesley September 16, 1951 May 18, 2019 Woodrow Wesley (Wes) Perkins, 67, of Natural Bridge, Va., passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 18, 2019. He said they saw a bear in the distance up on the hill. 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. The detail and information found inside this story will blow your mind. Stock image of a grizzly bear (right) and a still of Wes Perkins giving an interview in late 2022, over 10 years after he was mauled by a grizzly in the Alaskan wilderness. . In 2011, Perkins had his face ripped off. Doctors had to use part of his fibula to create a jaw to replace what the bear ripped off of his face. Incredible. Note: to turn off these warnings you need to set the 'safe mode' to OFF (on the top right) My older sister . Do not sell or share my personal information. He's not the man he once was, but he's still very appreciative to be alive. To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders, Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications, .css-o3g03s{color:black;}Published17:58,24 January 2023 GMT| Last updated17:58,24 January 2023 GMT. I had no time to do anything. He still has a tube in his throat. According to Anchorage Daily News, "Wes Perkins is whole in body and still badly disfigured. '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. Sarena Perkins. He was on a hunting trip with friends and family when it happened. He still explores the wilderness, hunting moose and bears as he used to. 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. "I messaged him within days, helping him through this. Perkins, who was nearly mauled to death by the grizzly's razor-like teeth, miraculously survived the brutal attack, and said in the video he 'remembers everything'. 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. I was lucky that I was able to learn how to talk again., Youtuber Dannie Rose for a short film released last month. So I would message him when he was in pain, to help him through the process. They had spotted a grizzly bear in the distance, and began tracking it, but at some point, lost sight of the creature. Perkins, from Nome, Alaska, his friend Dan Stang, and Dan Stang's son, Edward Stang, were out in the mountains on a hunting trip. They had seen the grizzly at a distance and began tracking it. I stopped not realizing the bear was was only 70 feet away in a hole.'. The bear began to maul Perkins, severely disfiguring his face. This 13 year old 8 foot tall boar was in the prime of his life meaning that he was an efficient killer. Mr Perkins had been on a hunting trip with his friend Dan Stang and Stangs son Edward. 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 had no airway unless I kept my head tilted to the side just right," Perkins told Newsweek. Jesus man, I was shooting this weekend at 25 yards (75 feet). 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.. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. This means that hunters who are pursuing these bears have to be very careful for animals who may have scarcely made it through winter due to poor health, age or newly born young. 'I look back and the bear's on top of [Perkins]', Dan Stang said in the video. -- An Alaska man says he feels lucky to be alive after coming face-to-face with a brown bear and surviving its terrifying attack. A man who had half of his face ripped off by a bear says he had to dig mud out of his airway so he could breathe. Its been described as one of the most horrific grizzly bear attacks in recorded history. So telling myself to function and never close my eyes or go unconscious was the main concentration.. His left eye, which sees only light and dark, weeps constantly. 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. short documentary by filmmaker Donnie Rosie, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. "[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. NOME -- Almost a year and a half after the bear attack, after 26 surgeries and more than a $1 million in medical expenses, Wes Perkins is whole in body and still badly disfigured. Bears emerging from their dens are extremely hungry and frequently feed on the nutritious shoots and sprouts emerging from winter dormancy along the edges of melting snow. 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