A 14-year-old girl riding in a mountain bike race was attacked in the dark of night by a bear Sunday and severely injured, but she was able to make a brief 911 call that eventually resulted in her rescue.Read more.
The girl suffered head, neck, torso and leg wounds. She underwent surgery and was in critical condition Sunday afternoon at Providence Alaska Medical Center, police said.
Update: Jill in Alaska is a friend of a friend of the girl who was attacked. A 14 year girl in an all night endurance race -- they build 'em tough up in Alaska. I hope this girl recovers from the mauling. Wow.
6 comments:
It wasn't "in the dark of the night."
In Alaska, there is no "dark of the night" this time of year.
I'm no prude, but I want to know what kind of parent lets a 14-year old girl participate in this sort of thing.
Dana, from the news account this looks like it took place near a populated area on maintained jogging/biking trails.
My views on outdoor activity for children align with this documentary. These issues are also discussed at Free Range Kids.
My son is 12: He goes backpacking with his boy scout troop in bear and mountain lion country, he surfs in shark infested waters, he even rides his bike through heavy traffic to get to school.
My children are much more cautious than I was, and I was one of those "sissy" risk averse children. I remember when I was seven years old climbing a fence with "DANGER: KEEP OUT" signs near my home to explore the dangerous deep and steep canyon with crumbling rock ledges, narrow ravines, rattlesnakes, bobcats, and coyotes. My friends and I did this every weekend, and I remember the accomplishment of finally reaching the bottom of the canyon.
In the animal world, might makes right. Then there's that dang food chain thing. A groovy natural environment is a great thing. You just have to accept that the mighty and the hungry (not to mention the mighty hungry) have their own priorities.
Of course in human-dominated environments you have predators on the hunt as well.
Reply to "fritz"
Why stop at sendindg your son (he still a child at 12)through bear country and swimming in shark infested waters. Why don't you just TEST HIS LUCK AGAIN and send him by ALL by himself wandering the streets at the wee hours of the morning through the City of Compton ,California? See if he has what it takes. GOOD PARENTING SKILLS .
Ask the girls Parents whose daughter got mauled by a bear by riding a bike through "BEAR COUNTRY" how they feel now.
And it will be your fault when one of these wild animals decides to
maul or kill your child(god forbid)
or he gets hit by a car in heavy traffic.(as you mentioned) You sound almost proud
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