In a chilling incident back in 2016, Karen Osborne, a 63-year-old woman from Frederick, Maryland, was viciously attacked by a black bear right outside her home. The terrifying encounter occurred when she stepped out at around 9pm to investigate why her daughter’s dog was barking so frantically. Without any warning, a 200-pound black bear charged out from the nearby woods and attacked her. Defenseless, Karen dropped to the ground and curled up into a ball, hoping to protect herself.
Despite her efforts, the bear was relentless. “It bit [my] face and threw [me] to the ground,” Karen recounted to Inside Edition. In an extraordinary display of presence of mind, even as the bear continued to pose a threat, Karen managed to call 911. A YouTube video by Inside Edition captured the harrowing audio from this call. In it, Karen calmly informs the operator, “I’ve been attacked by a bear. My arms are broken, my leg is broken I think. I’m chewed up on the back of my head.”
During the call, as she waited for help, the situation intensified. The bear was still close by, making threatening noises. “He’s behind me and he’s snorting and stomping and digging in the ground like he’s getting ready to attack,” she described to the 911 dispatcher. “I’ve been attacked by this bear. He’s coming back. I’m bleeding and I’m going to die. Please hurry…Oh my God, here he comes.”
Authorities including animal control, police, and ambulance services were swiftly dispatched to her location. Karen, maintaining her composure, pleaded on the call, “Please don’t leave me.” The dispatcher assured her that help was on the way as fast as possible.
The attack, which lasted an agonizing 35 minutes, saw the bear return to attack her four separate times, as detailed on a GoFundMe page set up to support her recovery. When help finally arrived, the bear was shot dead by the officers, and its cub was tranquilized.
Karen miraculously survived this brutal encounter, but not without severe injuries. She suffered a crushed lung, a broken pelvic bone, and numerous wounds across her body. Paul Pedido, a wildlife officer, later explained that the bear likely attacked because Karen had unintentionally come between it and its cub.
Reflecting on the terrifying experience, Karen resolved, “I don’t want to tango with any more bears, I think I’ve had enough bears.” Her story serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictability of wild animal encounters and the resilience of the human spirit.