Bear Henry was lost in the woods of Vancouver Island for 74 days, but it only felt like a week for the missing person.
含羞草研究社淵our mind just shuts down, it just goes into complete survival mode,含羞草研究社� Henry told reporters in Victoria含羞草研究社檚 Beacon Hill Park on Friday.
Henry set out for camps at Fairy Creek in a 1980 Dodge camper van on Nov. 27, but unknowingly blew past the Caycuse area in the dark, with a rainstorm pouring down. Thus began an almost three-month ordeal in the thick forest.
The flooded and tumultuous landscape made it so Henry couldn含羞草研究社檛 turn back and had to keep moving forward. Eventually, they (Henry uses they/them pronouns) were lost and their van got stuck after crashing around the 含羞草研究社渞elentless含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社渦nforgiving含羞草研究社� back country.
含羞草研究社淚 could hear the gas tank scraping on the rocks,含羞草研究社� Henry said. 含羞草研究社淚 was like 含羞草研究社極h my God am I going to die, like is this it?含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
After a while, they saw RCMP helicopters far off in the distance and yelled for them, to no avail. Henry then remembered asking themself why they didn含羞草研究社檛 tell anyone where they were going.
含羞草研究社淓very day I was so scared to get out of my van, every day I was wondering what if someone came and attacked me, no one could hear me scream, no one knew where I was.含羞草研究社�
Seeing bear dung nearby added to that worry, but also made for some lighter moments. 含羞草研究社淏ear gets killed by a bear in the woods,含羞草研究社� they said with a laugh.
They rationed food and ate anything 含羞草研究社� canned beans and tomatoes, rice soaked in water for days, cat food 含羞草研究社� that was in the van. When food got scarce, Bear started tricking their body by eating snow, while resting and conserving energy as much as possible. Henry lost about 60 pounds over the 74 days.
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With the weather turning cold, Henry thankfully had a large supply of blankets in the van. Though Henry estimates they were 60 to 70 kilometres outside Caycuse, they eventually became determined to start walking and try to find a way back.
含羞草研究社淚 wanted my life back, I missed the people in (my life),含羞草研究社� they said. 含羞草研究社淚 am too loved, I have people that I love, I will make it out of this.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚 walked out of there with moldy clothing.含羞草研究社�
After a grueling hike through the woods, Henry heard the sound of an engine and, after reaching a roadway, frantically tried to flag down a vehicle. Two loggers 含羞草研究社� dumbfounded after recognizing the missing person 含羞草研究社� picked Bear up before taking them to Tim Hortons, and even lending them some cash for food.
含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 humanity right there,含羞草研究社� Henry said.
含羞草研究社淚 couldn含羞草研究社檛 even eat a doughnut because it was so sweet,含羞草研究社� they said. 含羞草研究社淚 forgot what bread tasted like, I forgot what hot food tasted like.含羞草研究社�
When the loggers told Henry it was February, it was mind-blowing. While looking out the window en route with the two workers 含羞草研究社� Henry recalled thinking about how much they had missed.
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