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12-Year-Old Recalls Bear Attack: “I Thought I was Going to Die.”

Posted at 9:21 PM, Aug 19, 2013
and last updated 2013-08-19 23:11:48-04

CADILLAC, Mich. – She was attacked by a bear, twice.  Now, 100 stitches later, Abby Wetherell is speaking out about the terrifying event.

“It knocked me down and I was like ‘holy cow I’m going to die,’” Abby says.

She tells us she was on a run near her family’s cabin by Cadillac when the bear came after her.

“It got me and it clawed me and attacked,” Abby says. “I was like kicking with my feet, just trying to get it off me. “

She says the bear got so close to her face she could pet it.  That’s when she got away the first time.

“It attacked me again and that time I thought I should just play dead so that’s what I did,” the bear left and Abby was able to get to a neighbor who called her mom, Elizebeth.

“You immediately need to get to her,” Elizebeth said.

There’s a bear trap now, where the attack happened.

Abby is home after a few days in the hospital and has a new positive outlook as she heads into seventh grade.  She says she’s grateful to see her friends and family again, to heal and for life to get back to normal.