Washington father survives brutal Alaska bear attack, films goodbye message

A Washington state hunter, Jadon Nicoara, survived a brown bear attack while caribou hunting on Alaska’s North Slope, about 100 miles south of Deadhorse near the Arctic Circle. As Nicoara and his cousin Daniel climbed a canyon, a bear charged, injuring Nicoara severely by biting his face, crushing his foot, and causing multiple facial injuries, while Daniel fired his handgun to fend it off. Nicoara later said he filmed a goodbye message for his wife and daughters, believing he might die, as emergency responders coordinated his evacuation from the remote tundra to Anchorage and then Seattle for specialized care. His cousin was also injured in the encounter, sustaining bites to his legs before the bear fled after the gunfire. Medical personnel described bear attacks in this region as extremely rare, and Nicoara’s survival and recovery have drawn attention to the dangers of Arctic hunting trips. Nicoara is now recovering at home, with plans for facial reconstruction surgery and ongoing medical care.