A man from San Diego experienced severe injuries after being attacked and dragged by a grizzly bear during a hiking trip in Montana.
Daniel Crago, 32, recounted the harrowing encounter from May 28 in a conversation with CBS 8 and on his GoFundMe page, where he seeks financial support for his medical bills.
“I noticed something to my left and realized it was a small cub, but it had already moved behind me,” Crago shared with CBS 8.
“The cub was walking in their direction, seemingly unaware of my presence,” he added.
Soon after, Crago found himself face-to-face with a much larger bear. This dramatic encounter unfolded in Glacier National Park, which hosts approximately 300 grizzly bears.
Recalling the moment to his local news outlet, Crago said, “At that moment, I did what they teach you: make your presence known to avoid startling the bear. So, that’s exactly what I did.”
After attempting to alert the animal with a quick ‘Hey bear! Hey bear!’, the bear ‘charged,’ he said.
The animal quickly sunk its teeth into his right arm, Crago recalled.
Daniel Crago, 32, was mauled and nearly dragged to death by a grizzly bear while on a hike in Montana last week
After the attack, the hiker glanced down at his arm to see his hand ‘just kind of dangling,’ he said this week. He shared an X-ray of his arm to a GoFundMe
‘I just kind of thought “this is it.” It bit down on my arm, dragged me maybe 20ft,’ Crago said.
‘I kind of flipped, landed on my backside, opened my eyes, and the bear had continued running down the mountain.’
He looked down at his arm and saw his hand ‘just kind of dangling,’ he told hiking website Backpacker.com.
‘It was just pure panic… I was screaming for help, and started climbing back up toward the trail.’
Thankfully, some nearby hikers were able to help the hiker stop the bleeding and stabilize his arm.
Crago also told CBS 8 that in another stroke of luck, ‘the bear didn’t injure the wrist, didn’t injure the elbow. It was just a complete crush of the bones, the forearm bones.’
He was then airlifted to a hospital in Kalispell, Montana, he said.
Three surgeries later, Crago ‘will need at least one more,’ he told prospective donors in a description attached to his GoFundMe.
Montana’s Glacier National Park has a higher density of grizzly bears than any other national park in the Lower 48. It is often referred to as ‘bear country’
As of writing, Crago has raised $22,351 raised of a $24,000 goal. All proceeds exceeding medical costs will be donated to the National Park Service, he said
Posting from his home in San Diego, Crago said the costs he’s had to incur so far have been ‘overwhelming.’
‘I am reaching out for help to cover these expenses so I can continue my recovery without the added stress of financial hardship,’ he wrote
He thanked the hikers he said ‘saved [his] life’ and friends who visited him at the Logan Hospital staff in Kalispell as well as its staff.
‘Your kindness and expertise saved my life, and I am thankful beyond words. If you are able to support my fundraiser, your generosity will help me move forward and heal. Thank you for being part of my journey.’
‘All proceeds exceeding medical costs will be donated to the National Park Service,’ he wrote.
Montana’s Glacier National Park has a higher density of grizzly bears than any other national park in the continental US. It is widely referred to as ‘bear country.’
Park officials advise visitors to stay vigilant, and that if they do run into a bear, ‘stay calm, speak in a steady voice, back away slowly and do not make sudden movements.’
As of writing, Crago has raised $22,351 of a desired $24,000 goal.
