Montana man mauled by a grizzly bear gets to go home after five weeks in the hospital.
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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.
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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."
What to do if you encounter a grizzly bear
Bear encounters can be safe if you are prepared and knowledgeable. If you are camping or hiking you should always prepare to encounter a bear on your journey. Lisa Upson is the executive director of People and Carnivores, she offers advice on how to safely prepare for a bear encounter.
Carry bear spray, travel in groups: Keep it within reach, and know how to use it, especially if you can’t see beyond about 40 feet. Keep a look out for warning signs of a bear like animal carcasses, so you have enough time to reach for the bear spray.
Don't keep your food out: Do not litter or leave food out while hiking or camping. Food and garbage are the No. 1 things that attract bears.
Do not run: Running can make the bear believe you are prey, ultimately “activating” the bear. A bear can run up to 35 mph, so it is highly unlikely you will out run them.
Be aware of your surroundings: Keeping an eye out for evidence that may signify that a bear is near, like animal carcasses. This will give you enough time to prepare or change course.
Respect bears: Always try to keep a distance so that you can observe and admire them safely.
Contributing: Lindsay Schnell
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Montana man gets to return home after grizzly bear attack
