A 72-year-old man from Arkansas remains hospitalized after being mauled by a 70-pound bear this week. It was the state’s first bear attack in decades, and according to a new statement from his family, it will likely prove to be a fatal one.
Vernon Patton had to be airlifted to the hospital after the bear encounter, state Game and Fish Commission spokesperson Keith Stephens told Fox News Digital and The Arkansas Times. “It was a pretty severe attack. It attacked him on his face, his arms, his upper body,” he said.
Family Says Victim Is Unlikely to Survive
In a new statement shared with 40/29 News, Patton’s family called his injuries “ultimately not survivable” and said he remains in the ICU in Little Rock.
“Our beloved father, grandfather, husband and hero, Vernon Patton, was seriously injured in a bear attack while he was doing what he loved, working on his land with his family,” the statement reads. “Vernon is currently being cared for in the ICU in Little Rock. While he remains in stable condition, his injuries are extensive and ultimately not survivable.
“This has been an extraordinarily difficult time for our family, and we are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support we have received. We ask that people show compassion and consideration as we focus on being together as a family for as long as we still can.
“We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the medical teams who are providing exceptional care and to everyone who has offered their prayers and kindness.
“At this time, we ask for privacy as we navigate this painful journey together as a family.”
Deadly Bear Attacks Are Incredibly Rare
Black bears rarely attack humans. In fact, there hadn’t been a documented bear attack in the state of Arkansas in decades, according to officials. When they do attack, they are almost never fatal. A 2008 DEC report indicates that there were only three fatal bear attacks in the United States between the years of 1900 and 2007. Mostly recently, a black bear snatched a five-month-old baby girl out of her stroller in the Catskills town of Woodridge, NY in 2002, mauling her to death.
Bear attacks have been in the headlines recently, however. A man in the Catskills town of Cairo, NY was attacked by a bear inside his home earlier this month, after the animal gained access to an entryway where food and garbage is stored. He is expected to survive.
