MA Man Attacked By Bear On Honeymoon Speaks Out

MASSACHUSETTS — A 35-year-old Massachusetts man, who is also a veteran and brain tumor survivor, is speaking out for the first time since being attacked by a 400-pound grizzly bear in Wyoming earlier this month.

Shayne Patrick Burke, of South Hadley, was on his honeymoon with his wife Chloe on the afternoon of the May 19 attack, during which Shayne briefly stepped away from his wife's side to go search for a specific owl he was looking for, he told ABC News in an exclusive interview shared online Thursday.

When the bear approached and Burke realized he didn't have enough time to arm himself with the bear spray he was carrying, Burke told the outlet that he "ducked and covered."

But mama bear, who was with her cub, was already in attack mode.

"She just bit down each leg and she picked me up and kind of thrashed me around," Burke said. "She went towards my head. But I kept my hands interlocked like this and just like, protected my arteries and my neck. She bit down and got my left wrist and my right hand. I heard a pop and at that point in my head, I was like, alright, she's in my skull."

The National Park Service said that the attack occurred near Signal Mountain Summit Road, after which Burke was given emergency medical care at the scene before being airlifted to an ambulance and then driven to the hospital.

After escaping up a hill, Burke called his wife and told her that he had been attacked but was "not sure exactly the damage yet."

Chloe Burke told ABC News that she "hung up the phone not knowing if I had spoken to my husband for the last time."

After rangers found him, Burke asked that they spare the bear's life as "she was just defending her cub." They agreed.

Watch the interview at ABC News.

To prevent bear attacks, the National Park Service suggests that visitors do the following:

• Never leave your food unattended unless it is properly secured.
• Keep a clean camp and adhere to all food storage orders. Store all attractants, including coolers, cooking gear, pet food, and toiletries, inside a bear-resistant food locker (i.e. bear box) or a hard-sided vehicle with the windows rolled up.
• Properly store garbage until you can deposit it into a bear-resistant dumpster.
• Do not eat or cook in your tent, and never keep food or other scented items in your tent.
• Please respect all wildlife closure areas.
• If you see a bear, please give it space. Always stay at least 100 yards away. If you choose to watch or photograph the bear, use a spotting scope, binoculars, or telephoto lens. Park in designated areas, and never block travel lanes. Follow the directions of staff in places where bears are sighted.

And if they are exploring the backcountry:

• Be alert and aware of your surroundings.
• Make noise, especially in areas with limited visibility or when sound is muffled (e.g., near streams or when it is windy).
• Carry bear spray, know how to use it, and keep it readily accessible.
• Hike in groups of three or more people.
• Do not run. Back away slowly if you encounter a bear.