Veteran Experiences Life-Saving Luck During ‘Most Violent’ Bear Mauling

Shayne Patrick Burke, a disabled Army veteran, narrowly escaped death during a grizzly bear attack in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, on May 19. The 35-year-old Massachusetts native was on a short hike to photograph owls when he spotted a bear cub, an ominous sign of an impending confrontation with the mother bear.

Despite his attempts to deter an encounter by making noise, Burke found himself at the mercy of the charging grizzly. Following bear safety guidelines, he turned his back, dropped to his stomach and interlocked his hands behind his neck. The bear, however, was unrelenting, biting Burke’s leg repeatedly and slamming him to the ground.

In a miraculous turn of events, the bear’s jaws clamped down on Burke’s can of bear spray during an attempted bite to his neck. The explosion in the bear’s mouth frightened her away, giving Burke a chance to escape. “This is what saved my life from the initial attack,” he wrote on Instagram.

Using straps from his backpack and camera bag, Burke fashioned makeshift tourniquets to slow the bleeding from his severe wounds. He credits his survival to his knowledge of bear safety, the availability of bear spray and a well-timed 911 call that allowed rescuers to locate him.

Burke, who has faced life-threatening situations during his military service, described the bear mauling as “the most violent thing” he had ever experienced. As he recovers from surgery, Burke harbors no resentment towards the bear, acknowledging her defensive actions and urging park officials to spare her life.