Allena Hansen's Bear Attack: The Untold Story & Lasting Scars
Can the human spirit truly endure the unimaginable? For Allena Hansen, the answer was tested in the harshest of environments, a confrontation with a black bear that would forever alter the course of her life.
The sequoia mountains of California, in July of 2008, were a picturesque backdrop for a terrifying ordeal. It was on her isolated mountain property that Allena Hansen, then 58 years old, encountered a predatory black bear. What followed was a brutal struggle for survival, an event that would etch itself into her memory and leave an indelible mark on her physical and emotional well-being. She found the strength to fight back as the bear chewed on her head, leaving her looking like "a lump of hamburger." In her own words, "Hello, my name is Allena Hansen." The attack occurred while she was working on her mountain property. Saved by her thumbnail and her two faithful ranch dogs, she managed to hike out of a box canyon, driving herself four miles down a rough logging road to a rural fire station, from where she was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center. This harrowing experience became a living nightmare for Allena Hansen, a nightmare that had become her reality.
| Full Name | Allena Hansen |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | (Information not available in the provided text) |
| Location of Attack | Sequoia Mountains, California; Caliente, California; Piute Mountains, California |
| Date of Attack | July 2008 |
| Notable Incident | Survived a horrific black bear attack, sustaining severe facial injuries. |
| Published Works | Chomp, Chomp, Chomp: How I Survived a Bear Attack and Other Cautionary Tales (memoir) |
| Recognition | IBPA 2015 Benjamin Franklin Award for Best Memoir/Autobiography |
| Media Appearances | ABC, Inside Edition, The Doctors, Pet Heroes, The Bonnie Hunt Show, People, Oprah's O, Animal Planet's "I Was Prey", Numerous Tabloids |
| Current Status (as of available information) | 68 years old, actively involved in sharing her story. |
| Link to Reference | Example Website (Replace with a relevant and authentic source) |
The attack was not an isolated incident. Other reports surfaced, highlighting the rarity of such events. "A woman mauled by a bear in rural Kern County last week was released from a hospital," health officials stated, further emphasizing the unusual nature of these encounters. The injuries suffered by Allena Hansen, 56 at the time of the incident, were described in news reports as severe. The incident put her in the national spotlight. She became a symbol of resilience.
The trauma extended beyond the physical wounds. For Hansen, the emotional scars proved more persistent. Its the emotional toll she experienced when begging for her private health insurance to cover her treatments, reveals the deep-seated struggles that followed the attack. She had to go through more hurdles after the ordeal. And the impact of dealing with health insurance costs became the most difficult part of her ordeal, she stated nearly 12 years after the attack.
On a Tuesday morning, July 22nd, 2008, in the twin oaks area near Caliente, California, the unthinkable happened. While hiking with her two dogs, Arky and Decoy, Hansen was attacked by a black bear near a triangular region between the Walker Basin and Piute Mountain roads. The dogs intervened, and the bear still reached her, illustrating the sheer ferocity of the attack. The dogs saved her life. Hansen also recounted the details of the encounter, saying, "I found myself down on the ground. I heard, 'chomp, chomp, chomp.' I felt it go through my skull. I felt it bite through this eye."
Allena Hansen's story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. Her experiences, from the initial attack to the long road of recovery, have provided valuable insights into the physical, emotional, and logistical challenges that arise when one confronts extreme adversity. Her account of the experience in her memoir, "Chomp, Chomp, Chomp: How I Survived a Bear Attack and Other Cautionary Tales," won the IBPA 2015 Benjamin Franklin Award for Best Memoir/Autobiography. The title of Hansen's book itself captures the immediacy and brutality of the attack, drawing readers into the heart of the ordeal.
Her story also highlights the stark contrast between the realities of such attacks and their depictions in popular media. After seeing a depiction of a bear attack in the film "The Revenant," Hansen remarked that Leonardo DiCaprio's character "got off very lightly indeed." Hansen offers a unique perspective, pointing out that the severity of a real bear attack, the physical trauma, and the psychological impact often go unacknowledged or understated in fictionalized accounts.
In the aftermath of the attack, Allena Hansen found herself thrust into the public eye. She was featured on numerous television shows, including ABC, Inside Edition, The Doctors, and Oprah's O, as well as various other programs and publications. This exposure allowed her to share her story, raise awareness about the realities of bear attacks, and advocate for better understanding and support for survivors of such traumatic events. Hansen also brought out some valid points of life, that every day we have our facial nerves/muscles & teeth but, an accident by a bear attack can make us lose them.
The experience was transformative, forcing her to confront not only the physical injuries but also the profound emotional and psychological effects of the attack. Large pink wounds covered her forehead and cheeks, a constant reminder of the day her life was irrevocably changed. The attack serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictability of nature and the importance of preparedness and awareness when venturing into the wilderness. The story of Allena Hansen's survival is one of resilience, courage, and the enduring power of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity.
As Lt. Thomas Stenson of the California Department of Fish and Game patrols the Piute Mountains, the echoes of Hansen's ordeal serve as a constant reminder of the potential dangers that lurk within the natural world. Her story stands as a testament to the enduring human capacity for survival, reminding us of the strength that can be found even in the darkest of times.
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