Northwest Faculty wrestlers hospitalized in bear assault

A university wrestler from a small Wyoming faculty helped his teammate survive a grizzly mauling over the weekend by making an attempt to wrestle the huge bear off his pal, ultimately drawing a extra brutal assault to himself.

The boys are crediting their bonds as wrestling teammates at Northwest Faculty in Cody, Wyoming, with serving to them survive the assault Saturday night time southeast of Yellowstone Nationwide Park.

Brady Lowry, of Cedar Metropolis, Utah, suffered a damaged arm and puncture wounds within the preliminary assault after they stunned the bear whereas looking for antlers shed by elk and deer within the Shoshone Nationwide Forest.

“The bear got here working out of the bushes. I did not even see it till it was proper in entrance of me, however I heard the crashing,” Lowry instructed ABC Information in an interview that aired Wednesday on “Good Morning America.” “The one factor I might yell is: ‘Bear! Bear!’ I simply knew I needed to shield my head and simply type of combat for all times, — it is life or loss of life.”

His teammate, Kendell Cummings, of Evanston, Wyoming, tried to cease the assault on Lowry by yelling, kicking and hitting the bear and pulling on its fur.

“I did not wish to lose my pal. It was unhealthy,” Cummings instructed the Deseret Information. “There was a giant ol’ bear on prime of him. I might have run and probably misplaced a pal or get him off and save him.”

The bear shortly turned its fury onto Cummings.

“It knocked me onto the bottom after which, with its head, pushed me on the bottom all the way in which up towards the bushes after which type of pinned me up there and it was attacking me,” Cummings instructed ABC Information. “I used to be placing my palms in its mouth and stuff, so it would not be chewing on my neck and all the things.”

Cummings stated the bear ultimately walked away however was gone solely briefly.

“I heard the bear type of grunting behind me and I heard it strolling,” Cummings stated. “Then I noticed it once more, and it got here and attacked me once more.”

After the bear left a second time, Cummings pulled himself up and started on the lookout for his teammates. Within the meantime, Lowry was in a position to stroll to an space with cell service and name 911.

Two different teammates, August Harrison and Orrin Jackson, helped the badly injured Cummings off the mountain, carrying him at instances. Lowry was in a position to stroll by himself.

Each ended up at Billings Clinic Hospital, the place Cummings underwent surgical procedure. Neither man was listed as a affected person there Tuesday, hospital spokesperson Zach Benoit stated.

Different members of the wrestling group joined coach Jim Zeigler on the hospital to help their injured teammates.

“I am pleased with them, simply the way in which they love one another, they method they protected one another, the way in which they caught collectively,” Zeigler instructed the Deseret Information. “I can not think about the horror, the phobia of it. I do not assume they realized till after it was over how horrifying it was. They only did what they did, helped one another survive, they usually lived to inform about it and I am pleased with them.”

Dallas Lowry credited Cummings with saving his son’s life.

“That younger man over there — Kendell is a hero,” Dallas Lowry instructed KSL-TV. “Any regular individual would have turned and ran, however these bonds that they construct in school athletics final without end.”

Brady Lowry echoed his father’s remarks.

“Me and [Cummings] would each be useless if it wasn’t all 4 of us — if it wasn’t for [Cummings] pulling the hair, if it wasn’t for [Harrison] working up and scaring the bear away and never coming again for extra,” Brady Lowry instructed KSL. “It was a group effort. We love one another. We’ll be greatest buddies for the remainder of our lives due to this.”

Wyoming wildlife officers stated they won’t attempt to seize and relocate or kill the bear as a result of it was a shock assault and since there are lots of different bears within the space, making it troublesome for them to find out which bear was concerned.

The Related Press contributed to this report.