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Man attacked by bear while walking dogs at Alaska airport

The man, a teacher and wrestling coach, called work from the hospital to give instructions for a tournament scheduled that afternoon.

By Stephen Feller
A teacher in Alaska was attacked by a brown bear, similar to the one pictured, while walking his dogs at the airport in Seward. Photo by Marshmallow/Flickr
A teacher in Alaska was attacked by a brown bear, similar to the one pictured, while walking his dogs at the airport in Seward. Photo by Marshmallow/Flickr

SEWARD, Alaska, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- A man was attacked by a bear while walking his dogs on an airport runway in Alaska, escaping with bad injuries but not so bad that he couldn't call work with instructions while receiving treatment at the hospital.

Ronn Hemstock, a teacher in Alaska, was walking his dogs at the Seward airport Thursday morning when he was mauled by a brown bear that may have been reacted to him because it was walking with its two cubs.

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Hemstock keeps a plane at the airport and was on an early morning walk with his dogs when the surprise encounter occurred.

"We had a [man] that was attacked and mauled by a brown bear," said Seward Police Chief Tom Clemons. "He will survive -- his injuries are bad, but they're not life-threatening at this point."

Hemstock was walking his dogs around 7:00 a.m. Thursday when the bear and her cubs showed up. The sow attacked him and then ran off with its cubs. Although the sow came back, officials said it did not attack again.

Hemstock managed to call 911 and was treated at Providence Seward Medical Center before being flown to Anchorage for additional treatment.

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While at the hospital in Anchorage, Hemstock, a teacher and wrestling coach at Seward High School, called his coworkers to give instructions for a tournament scheduled for Thursday afternoon -- a testament to the man's priorities and hardcore dedication to his students.

"[Mr. Hemstock] is currently in the hospital here recovering and is stable," the school's athletic director, Al Plan, posted on the school's Facebook page. "Please keep him in your thoughts as he is recovering and although the word he gave Mr. Walker this morning was that he was planning on being here for the wrestling tourney set up this afternoon, we are hoping he will stay and recover as needed. I know, who else besides Hemstock would get mauled by a bear and still try to come to work! He's truly bad to the bone!!"

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