After leaving her home in Alaska for an early morning jog, a mother of three had a shocking encounter with a brown bear that dragged her about 100 yards. The incident, which took place shortly after 5 AM, left 36-year-old Alyne Fabrizio Colton with serious injuries, requiring her to undergo surgery and remain hospitalized.
The bear ambushed Colton roughly 150 feet from her home in Kenai, pulling her down the road. It was only when a neighbor spotted the wildlife trooper, David Roaring, that the alarming situation was noticed.
Roaring said he initially thought he heard a dog, as bears had been around before. He didn’t think much of it until he walked over and found Colton injured in the woods behind his property.
Wildlife officials mentioned that Colton, a married nurse who had recently relocated to southern Alaska, was conscious when discovered. Unfortunately, she was bleeding significantly from her face and scalp.
She was quickly transported to a hospital in Anchorage, which is nearly three hours away from Kenai. According to her family, she is in stable condition but has suffered critical injuries that require extensive care. A GoFundMe page has been set up, which has already raised over $63,700 for her recovery.
Her family provided an update, indicating that she had undergone her first surgery and that doctors were optimistic, although the road to recovery would be long.
Wildlife officials suspect that a brown bear was responsible for the attack, although the animal has not yet been found. They are urging both residents and visitors to be cautious, especially as bears are becoming increasingly active in search of food this season.
“If you venture into the woods, be aware of your surroundings,” Roaring advised. “You might consider putting in just one AirPod to stay alert.”
