If you've watched the blockbuster film The Revenant, you'll surely remember what we need only refer to as “the bear scene”. Leonardo DiCaprio is walking silently through the forest, when he comes across two bear cubs. Suddenly, he's charged and blindsided by a massive female grizzly bear, which tears at his flesh with claws and teeth. After a tremendous struggle, he sustains grave injuries but makes it out alive.

Hugh Glass, played by DiCaprio, is attacked in the film

Hugh Glass, played by DiCaprio, is attacked in the film “The Revenant”. Source: 20th Century Fox

The Revenant is based on the true story of frontiersman Hugh Glass, who lived from 1783 to 1833, so it may seem like ancient history to some. This week, however, we came across a modern survival story that bears (forgive the pun) an uncanny resemblance to Glass' experiences. Much like Glass, Montana resident and knife-maker Todd Orr survived a brutal attack by a mother grizzly, and managed to rescue himself against all odds. In fact, the bear attacked him not once, but twice on the same day.

Grizzly bear attack before photo

A photo of Orr taken earlier this year, before the attack. Source: Todd Orr / Facebook

Orr was hiking in the early morning, scouting elk before a hunt. He wisely carried a canister of bear spray, as well as a pistol on a chest holster, and even says he called out “hey bear” loudly as he walked to warn wildlife of his presence. After walking three miles, he spotted a sow (full-grown female) grizzly with cubs, and it charged in his direction. He tried to defend himself, but was unable to: “Within a couple seconds, she was nearly on me. I gave her a full charge of bear spray at about 25 feet. Her momentum carried her right through the orange mist and on me.”

Animal Attack 1

The brutal grizzly bear attack continued as Orr fell to the ground, and he was bitten repeatedly. After “what seemed like an eternity”, the bear eventually left him for dead. He stood up, and began walking the three miles back to his truck—but it wasn't over. The bear chased him down again, and tore a deep gash into the side of his head. “The blood gushed over my face and into my eyes. I didn't move. I thought this was the end.

Grizzly bear attack bloody forearm

The bear disappeared yet again, and Orr picked himself up yet again. As he walked to his truck, he still had the presence of mind to snap a few photos, and record the following video. Warning: as you'd expect, there's a lot of blood and gore.

Incredibly, Orr was able to walk to his truck, call 911 to alert the local ER staff, and drive himself to the hospital. There, he received treatment for numerous tears, punctures, bruises, a chipped forearm bone, and a 5-inch gash that exposed his skull. In a lengthy Facebook post about the events that day, Orr says it was “not my best day, but I'm alive.”

Orr's head wound was treated at a local hospital, and will eventually heal. Source: Todd Orr / Facebook

Orr's head wound was treated at a local hospital, and will eventually heal. Source: Todd Orr / Facebook

For more photos and details about the grizzly bear attack and Orr's recovery, visit his Facebook profile.


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