Beyond the Bear

A 25-year-old backcountry wanderer, Dan Bigley woke up one midsummer morning to a day full of promise. Before it was over, after a stellar day of salmon fishing along Alaska’s Kenai and Russian rivers, a grizzly came tearing around a corner on the trail. Dan barely had time to register this before the bear had him on the ground with his head in its powerful mouth. All of his happiness was shattered by a mauling that left him blind and disfigured. Facing paralyzing pain and inconceivable loss, Dan was in no shape to be in a relationship with the woman he had just decided he loved, and so he let her go. Five surgeries later, partway into his long healing journey, they found their way back to each other. The couple’s unforgettable story is one of courage, tenacious will, and the power of love to lead the way out of darkness. Dan Bigley’s triumph over tragedy is a testament to the ability of the human spirit to overcome physical and emotional devastation, and to choose not just to live, but to live fully.