Man cried 'I'm dying' during black bear attack

A man could be heard shouting "I'm dying" as he was attacked by a bear outside his home and his wife desperately phoned emergency services.

By Nick Allen in Los Angeles
Published: 7:00AM BST 22 Sep 2010

John Chelminiak, 57, a city council employee in Bellevue, Washington, was mauled by the black bear at the end of the driveway to his holiday home in Lake Wenatchee, Washington.

He had been out walking his dogs when the bear struck.

His wife Lynn Semler called 911 and said: "My husband has been attacked by a bear. He's at the bottom of the driveway."

In the background Mr Chelminiak could be heard saying he was dying.

He suffered wounds to the upper part of his body, and underwent surgery in Seattle where he is recovering.

His wife, who ran to help him, said: "I thought at first it was a black dog, and then just a couple strides down I realised it was a bear and John had been yelling bear, bear."

The female black bear, thought to be about 10-years-old and without cubs, was killed a few hours after the attack.

From: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8017475/Man-cried-Im-dying-during-black-bear-attack.html