60 Feet Away: How a 19-Year-Old Stopped a Grizzly Attack With His Bare Hands

On October 15, 2022, four college wrestlers hiked into Wyoming's Shoshone National Forest to hunt for shed antlers. They never saw the grizzly coming. When the bear attacked, one teammate made a split-second decision that would later earn him North America's highest civilian honor for heroism—and leave both young men fighting for their lives on a remote mountainside. With a broken arm and hundreds of stitches between them, getting off that mountain would take everything they had, and everyone they came with. This is a story about what happens when training, instinct, and brotherhood collide with the raw power of the wild.

00:00 Welcome to The Crux 00:38 Grizzly Charge Cold Open 01:35 Meet the Wrestlers 03:49 Split Up on the Trail 04:33 Brady Gets Mauled 06:35 Kendall Runs In 10:25 Second Attack and Silence 11:28 911 Call and Rescue Push 16:15 Hospital and Injury Breakdown 19:37 Bear Spray Lessons 20:47 Recovery and Hero Medal 22:30 Documentary and Facing Bears Again 24:12 Bear Spray vs Firearms Data 27:18 Practical Bear Country Tips 29:17 Bonus Bear in the House 30:56 Final Takeaway and Wrap Up 32:40 Outro and Listener Support

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REFERENCES

1. CNN — "College wrestlers mauled in gruesome grizzly bear attack" (October 20, 2022)
2. ESPN — "Northwest College wrestlers hospitalized after bear attack" (October 19, 2022)
3. ABC News — "Wyoming college wrestlers recount near-death fight with grizzly bear" (October 19, 2022)
4. NBC News — "Two college wrestlers injured in grizzly bear attack while hunting in Wyoming" (October 18, 2022)
5. CBS Sports — "Wyoming college wrestler saves teammate from being mauled by grizzly bear" (October 19, 2022)
6. Deseret News — "Grizzly bear attacks two college wrestlers in Wyoming" (October 17, 2022)
7. FloWrestling — "Northwest College Wrestlers Recovering After 'Horrifying' Bear Attack" (October 19, 2022)
8. Cowboy State Daily — "Highest Heroism Award For Wyoming Wrestler Who Saved Teammate From Grizzly" (March 25, 2024)
9. Cowboy State Daily — "There's More To Kendell Cummings Than Being The Guy Who Wrestled A Grizzly" (March 26, 2024)
10. KTVQ — "Northwest College wrestlers 'in face of adversity, made it through' months after grizzly bear attack" (February 27, 2024)
11. Powell Tribune — "Northwest College wrestler honored for extraordinary heroism" (March 28, 2024)
12. Carnegie Hero Fund Commission — "17 recognized by Carnegie Hero Fund for saving others from peril" (March 2024)
13. East Idaho News — "Young man who saved friend during grizzly bear attack among 17 receiving prestigious national honor" (April 7, 2024)
14. KSL — "Man who saved friend during grizzly attack receives prestigious national honor" (2024)
15. Wyoming Game and Fish Department Statement (October 2022)

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