DEADHORSE, Alaska — A hunting trip in the remote Alaskan wilderness turned into a fight for survival for a 27-year-old Washington State father who was suddenly charged by a bear while searching for caribou with his cousin.
Jadon Nicoara and his cousin, Daniel, were hunting about 100 miles outside Deadhorse on Thursday, Aug. 27, when they encountered the animal.
The pair had been climbing along the edge of a canyon when Nicoara noticed movement in the bushes above them.
What happened next unfolded within seconds. Nicoara said he turned to his right and saw a bear running directly toward him from approximately 15 to 20 feet away.
“I turned around to my right and there was a bear just running at probably 15 to 20 feet straight toward me,” he told. “It was growling, its mouth was open and it was just running full speed.”
With almost no time to escape, Nicoara was attacked.
Bear Charges and Seriously Injures Hunter
Nicoara recalled the bear biting and grabbing him during the attack. He said the animal attacked his face, leaving him bleeding heavily.
The situation became so frightening that Nicoara believed he might not survive.
“I pulled out my phone and filmed a short video for my wife and my girls, because I thought I wasn’t going to make it,” Nicoara later said.
The father of two described the terrifying moment as he tried to process the possibility that his life could be ending.
“I was like, ‘Okay, this is where it ends,’” he said. “I was just waiting like, ‘How’s it going to be to just step over the line from being alive to being in heaven?’”
The bear continued grabbing at Nicoara’s hands and foot while he struggled to protect himself. His cousin quickly realized that the attack required immediate action.
Cousin Fires Gun to Stop Bear
Daniel pulled out his handgun and opened fire at the bear while Nicoara was still caught up with the animal. Nicoara said he was terrified of being accidentally hit because he and the bear were tangled together.
“I was screaming at him not to hit me because I was all tangled up with the bear and I didn’t want more damage,” Nicoara said.
Daniel fired the entire magazine, after which the bear turned away from Nicoara and moved toward him. The encounter eventually ended when the bear ran off. Nicoara then had to rely on his cousin to help him survive the aftermath.
Cousin Provides Emergency Medical Care
Daniel is a physician, which proved critical after the attack. Once the bear had left, he immediately began treating Nicoara and working to stop the bleeding.
The two men were still in a remote area and needed to find a location where they could make an emergency call. They eventually hiked approximately half a mile to get enough phone service to call for help. The rescue operation then involved multiple flights.
Nicoara and Daniel were first transported to Deadhorse, then flown to Anchorage, before Nicoara was ultimately taken to Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center for additional treatment.
Father of Two Now Recovering at Home
Nicoara survived the attack but faces a lengthy recovery and additional surgeries. He is now recovering at home with his wife and two daughters, who are just 3 years old and 7 months old.
Despite the severity of the encounter, Nicoara said he remains deeply grateful that both he and his cousin survived.
“I’m just very thankful,” he told. “It was, like, just a miracle that God spared our lives.”
His experience has left him with a powerful reminder of how quickly conditions can change during a remote wilderness trip. One moment, Nicoara and his cousin were hunting caribou. Moments later, he was fighting for his life after a bear emerged from nearby vegetation.
GoFundMe Raises Thousands for Family
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to help Nicoara’s family manage expenses associated with his recovery and the aftermath of the attack.
As of Wednesday, Sept. 2, more than $35,000 had been donated. The support comes as Nicoara prepares for additional surgeries and continues recovering from his injuries.
For the young father, the encounter could have ended very differently. Instead, the actions of his cousin, the emergency medical response and the subsequent evacuations helped get him to specialized care.
Nicoara now faces the long road to recovery, surrounded by his family and grateful for another chance to return home.
What would you have done if you suddenly found yourself facing a bear in the wilderness? Share your thoughts in the comments.