WATCH: The woman who was mauled by a polar bear on her way home from a party in Churchill last month is making a remarkable recovery. Robin Gill reports.
Erin Greene still bears the scars, and two weeks after nearly being killed by a polar bear in Churchill the memory of the attack is fresh in her mind. She spoke exclusively to Global News Wednesday about the terrifying ordeal.
“I definitely remember it biting my head and thinking oh my god this is happening, this is a bear,” said Greene.
The 30-year-old Montreal native was walking home from a Halloween party with two friends when they heard a noise. As she turned around, the bear was already charging full speed towards her.
“It was looking at me. Straight at me,” she said. “He was running towards me. It wanted to get me, 100 percent.”
Before she was able to run, the bear had her head between its teeth and his paws wrapped around her.
“It just kept pulling at my head, grabbing my head,” she said.
Bill Ayotte, who lives in the home closest to the spot where the bear attacked, heard the screams and went outside to help, grabbing a nearby shovel.
The bear quickly turned and attacked him, giving Greene enough time to run and call for help.
Both were eventually airlifted to Winnipeg with extensive injuries.
“He pulled most of my scalp off,” said Greene. “I had 28 staples and stitches to get that back on. He severed three arteries in my head and then he bit me in the arm and on the leg.”
Greene is also now missing a piece of her ear.
It was the second bear attack in two months in the small community.
In September, Garett Kolsun was attacked by a bruin in the small town as well.
Kolsun managed to avoid serious injury and he thrust his cellphone into the bear’s face, distracting it long enough for him to escape.
While that bear was captured and sent to the Assiniboine Zoo in Winnipeg, the one that attacked Greene was killed, a fact that makes the animal lover reel.
“This is an animal and its doing what its going to do. This is it’s behaviour. They aren’t friendly, they aren’t cuddly… it’s a bear,” said Greene.
Although the scars will be with her for life, Greene said Churchill is a place that is magical and she said she will return to work her seasonal job again next year.
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