Current:Home > ContactMontana man mauled by a grizzly bear gets to go home after five weeks in the hospital. -VitalEdge Finance Pro
Montana man mauled by a grizzly bear gets to go home after five weeks in the hospital.
View
Date:2025-04-16 15:28:32
A hunter who was attacked by a grizzly bear in Montana's Custer Gallatin National Forest will go home after five weeks in the hospital where he received jaw reconstruction surgery, in addition to other procedures, the hunter, his family and doctors said at a news conference.
Rudy Noorlander, 61, was tracking deer with a group of people on Sept. 8, near Yellow Mule Trail about 50 miles southwest of Bozeman, Montana, when a grizzly bear attacked him. According to the Associated Press, the grizzly bear bit off part of his jaw.
First responders arrived in a helicopter and transferred him to a nearby hospital in Bozeman, Montana. After emergency surgery, he moved to the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City.
Noorlander's daughter, Katelynn Davis, spoke for him at a University of Utah Hospital news conference. According to Davis, Noorlander was prepared with a gun and bear spray but needed more time to stop the bear from attacking.
She explained that the only thing that helped Noorlander was that he was with a group that could scare the grizzly bear away.
Recent bear attack:73-year-old woman attacked by bear near US-Canada border, officials say; park site closed
Jaw reconstruction surgery
Dr. Hillary McCrary, a surgeon at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital in Utah, was present for the news conference. She explained that because his lower jaw and larynx sustained several injuries in the attack, Noorlander underwent many surgeries to correct his jaw, including a reconstruction surgery.
"We took a portion of his fibula bone and some of his skin with an artery and a vein and hooked that to an artery and a vein in the neck," said Dr. McCrary." And then my partner Dr. Cannon took some of the skin's soft tissue and transplanted that to the head and neck to reconstruct his lower lip."
Dr. Mccrary commended Noorlander on his optimism through his surgeries and recovery journey, noting that Noorlander wants to fight through his recovery.
Plans for the future
Noorlander will be able to speak again; however, because of the intensive surgery and trauma to the area around his vocal folds, there is no specific timeline for when Noorlander will fully talk again, according to Dr.McCarthy.
During the news conference, Noorlander answered questions by writing on a whiteboard. Davis was present at the press conference to speak on his behalf.
"The things that give him hope and motivation to get through this is family and life," said Davis. "My job proves that most people are good, and I can't wait to get back to it and win round two."
According to Davis, Noorlander plans to return to work and where the attack happened. It was not his first encounter with a bear; he had been walking the trail years before the attack.
Davis explained that her father would like to write a book one day and jokingly admits that he would like Cole Hauser from the hit TV show "Yellowstone" to play him in a movie.
"Only by the hands of God am I here; I've had a lot of inspirations, and I felt the need to share my story with others," said Noorlander. "Believe it or not, I believe this attack answered my prayers. And, potentially, it can help someone from going through something similar."
veryGood! (94)
Related
- Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
- Yes, your diet can lower cholesterol levels. But here's how exercise does, too.
- Newly released video shows how police moved through UNLV campus in response to reports of shooting
- New lawsuit against the US by protesters alleges negligence, battery in 2020 clashes in Oregon
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- North Carolina governor commutes prisoner’s sentence, pardons four ex-offenders
- Corn syrup is in just about everything we eat. How bad is it?
- 2023 was a tragic and bizarre year of wildfires. Will it mark a turning point?
- Euphoria's Hunter Schafer Says Ex Dominic Fike Cheated on Her Before Breakup
- Toyota recalls 1 million vehicles for defect that may prevent air bags from deploying
Ranking
- Federal appeals court upholds $14.25 million fine against Exxon for pollution in Texas
- For the third year in a row, ACA health insurance plans see record signups
- New Beauty I'm Obsessed With This Month: Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez, Murad, Maybelline, and More
- Romance scammer who posed as St. Louis veterinarian gets 3 years in federal prison after woman loses $1.1 million
- Golf's No. 1 Nelly Korda looking to regain her form – and her spot on the Olympic podium
- Nick Cannon Honors Late Son Zen During Daughter Halo’s First Birthday With Alyssa Scott
- EU countries agree on compromise for overhaul of bloc’s fiscal rules
- Toyota recalling 1 million vehicles for potential air bag problem
Recommendation
The Best Stocking Stuffers Under $25
EU countries agree on compromise for overhaul of bloc’s fiscal rules
Nick Cannon Honors Late Son Zen During Daughter Halo’s First Birthday With Alyssa Scott
Thailand sends 3 orangutans rescued from illicit wildlife trade back to Indonesia
Chuck Scarborough signs off: Hoda Kotb, Al Roker tribute legendary New York anchor
Hiker rescued from bottom of avalanche after 1,200-foot fall in Olympic National Forest
Look Back on the Most Dramatic Celeb Transformations of 2023
'You see where that got them': Ja Morant turned boos into silence in return to Grizzlies