A 67-year-old retiree who survived a brutal bear mauling in the Alaska backcountry this summer has finally reunited with the Anchorage first responders who saved her life. Victoria Lytle was hiking on the Anchorage Hillside in July when she heard barking—only to realize too late that it was a brown bear, not a dog. The animal attacked, leaving Lytle with severe injuries to her jugular, arms, thigh, and head, Alaska Public Media reports. The bear "chewed on my head," she tells KTUU. She managed to call 911 using her Apple Watch and spent the next 90 minutes lying wounded in the woods, talking with dispatcher Julie Condell, who kept her calm and alert as rescuers searched for her, per APM.
On Tuesday, Lytle spoke publicly for the first time about the ordeal at a gathering at an Anchorage fire station, thanking the firefighters, medics, and dispatchers assembled, some of whom risked their own safety to find her. "'Thank you' just does not seem to be enough to say for saving my life," Lytle told the group. "I really, really, really appreciate every single one of you." The rescue was a complex one, requiring Anchorage Fire Department medics Sean McMillan and Stefan Isaly-Johns to hike miles into the Chugach Mountains with limited gear, not knowing if the bear might return. Both were awarded the department's Firefighter Medal of Honor for their actions.
Lytle's injuries were extensive—she needed about 100 staples in her head alone—but she was released from the hospital just a week later. Remarkably, she says she has little mental trauma from the attack, though she does still have issues with one of her injured arms—what she calls her "coffee-drinking problem," per KTUU. After the incident, Lytle initially wanted to keep her identity private due to harsh online comments. Months later, she says she's moved past the negativity and is grateful for the community that rallied to save her. "I'm actually very proud to live in this town," she said, per APM.
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