Man survives bear attack, thanks to hero friend
How do you make a lifelong friend fast? You save his life during a terrifying bear attack.
An Alaskan man has taken to social media to explain how his life was saved by a "quick-thinking" friend after he was set upon by a large brown bear.
“This dude saved my life yesterday,” James Frederick proclaimed on his Facebook page about the heroic act.
James and his friend, Alex Ippoliti were bike riding along a deserted gravel road in Anchorage, Alaska over the weekend when the pair heard an odd rustling in the woods nearby.
Before the men could react the bear “came out of nowhere and pulled him off his bike,” Alex told ABC News.
Luckily Ippoliti is in the Air Force and has some survival skills.
He said he had to think quickly in order to save his friend from the clutches of the massive mammal.
"When she dropped him, she turned toward me and I was able to spray the bear," the heroic Alex said about his reaction to the attack.
After being sprayed the bear ran off, back into the woods and the pair called 911.
Fredrick is being treated for his wounds at Providence Alaska Medical Center, where he was listed in serious condition Monday.
The ordeal lasted about 15 minutes, according to Ippoliti.
"It's probably the longest 15 minutes of my life," he said.
"I've never felt time slowed down like that before."
Alaskan wildlife officials say they don't know why there have been so many attacks in such a short time, with the number of bear attacks in the state to four in less than a week, including two fatalities.
