In a harrowing encounter in Montana, a Navy veteran was severely mauled by a bear, resulting in the loss of his lower jaw.
Despite the terrifying ordeal, the man has managed to retain his sense of humor.
Rudy Noorlander is currently in critical but stable condition following the brutal attack by a large bear. The incident occurred on Friday when Noorlander was aiding two hunters in locating a deer they had previously shot. He had rented out ATVs to the hunters from his rental company.
"Rudy, being the good Samaritan that he is, decided to help them search for it," his daughter, KateLynn Davis, said of her father's decision to assist the hunters.
The search led them to Custer Gallatin National Forest, located just outside Big Sky and approximately 55 miles north of Yellowstone National Park. While on the Yellow Mule Trail, Noorlander spotted a small bear. The 61-year-old veteran attempted to scare off the bear with his rifle, but was caught off guard by a much larger bear.
"Rudy aimed his gun at the bear but his firearm misfired, making his best choice of defense his fists as he did not have any time to get his bear spray from his backpack," Davis explained. "As the bear lunged, the only thing Rudy could do was punch the bear in hopes of slowing it down. Unfortunately, it did not, and after the first punch the grizzly was on top of Rudy."
The hunters were able to frighten the bear away and call for assistance. However, the savage attack left Noorlander unconscious and severely injured. He remained unconscious for two hours as the rescue team in a helicopter reportedly had to wait for another rescue helicopter due to potential bear presence in the area.
Noorlander was airlifted to Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center in Montana for surgery before being transferred to the University of Utah Hospital for further treatment. The gruesome attack left Noorlander with horrific injuries, including his lower jaw being torn off by the 10-foot grizzly bear.
"The bear broke part of his throat, so they're putting a plate down in there to stabilize it. Then [in about a week and a half,] they're going to do the major reconstruction surgery where they take the bone out of his leg and reconstruct the chin and everything," Kary Noorlander Lyman, Noorlander's sister, told KTSU.
Despite the traumatic experience, Noorlander has not lost his sense of humor. "One of the nurses, when he first came in, said, 'We understand you're kissing bears,' and he wrote on [a board], 'Bear French kiss ME.' And she said, 'Oh, bad breath?' And he said, 'Yes,'" Lyman recounted.
Noorlander's goal, as written on the board, was "to make someone smile."
To help with Noorlander's medical expenses, his daughter KateLynn has started a GoFundMe campaign. "Rudy is a Navy Veteran and has VA insurance but due to the surgeries and his time in the hospital he will need additional funding to help pay for his extensive medical bills," the campaign description read. The campaign has raised over $40,000 in just four days.
In response to the attack, the U.S. Forest Service has implemented an emergency closure in the area to track down the grizzly bear. Authorities believe the bear may have been shot.
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