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Brave Locals Save Mom, Child From Polar Bear
1 Sep
Summary
- A young mother and her infant were attacked by a polar bear in Wales, Alaska.
- School staff and residents bravely intervened, driving the bear away.
- A local resident shot and killed the polar bear during the attack.
A harrowing incident unfolded in the remote Alaskan town of Wales when a young mother, Summer Myomick, and her infant son, Clyde Ongtowasruk, were attacked by a polar bear in January 2023. The pair had been temporarily staying at the Kingikmiut school due to an electrical fault at their home.
School staff and local residents bravely attempted to drive the polar bear away using shovels, successfully repelling it momentarily. However, the bear then turned its aggression towards the rescuers. Principal Dawn Hendrickson quickly secured the building, preventing the bear from entering.
Without law enforcement present, a resident swiftly took action, shooting and killing the polar bear as it continued its assault on Summer and Clyde. Experts note that polar bears can view humans as prey, a behavior potentially linked to diminishing sea ice forcing them ashore more frequently.
