Bear Attacks Teen with Rare Disorder While Watching TV in Cabin
A black bear entered an Arizona cabin on Thursday, May 23, and attacked 15-year-old Brigham Hawkins, who was watching TV.
Brigham, who suffers from a rare neurological disorder, was relaxing after a day of fishing in Alpine when the bear walked through the open front door and swiped at his face and head.
Upon hearing Brigham’s screams, his family, who were in a nearby cabin, rushed to his aid and managed to chase the bear away.
Brigham’s mother, Carol Hawkins, recounted the terrifying incident, noting that her son was unaware of the bear’s presence until it attacked him from behind.
His older brother, Parker, initially mistook the bear for a large dog but quickly realized the danger and sought safety in another cabin as the bear paced on the porch.
Brigham’s father hurried to the scene, finding his son injured and immediately called 911. Authorities arrived and tracked the 3-year-old bear to a location 120 feet from the cabin, where it was euthanized.
Shawn Wagner, the Law Enforcement Supervisor for the state Game and Fish Department, credited the family’s quick reaction for preventing a potential tragedy.
Carol Hawkins expressed her family’s sadness over the bear’s death but acknowledged the necessity of the action, explaining that the bear’s behavior was abnormal.
Since 1990, there have been 16 bear attacks in Arizona, with two resulting in fatalities. Despite suffering gashes to his face and arm, Brigham is expected to make a full recovery.
Carol Hawkins expressed her gratitude, saying, “We’re extremely blessed and feel that somebody was most definitely watching over him because … he’s very small and has lots of medical issues and there was nothing he could have done to chase off this bear or fight off this bear.”
Bear Attacks Teen with Rare Disorder While Watching TV in Cabin
