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LETTER: Couple helped during bear encounter

Incident occurred near Summerland Waterfront Resort
17063407_web1_Bear

Dear Editor:

I just wanted to post a thank you to a man and woman in a van that I believe literally saved my life.

On May 21 at approximately 7:30 p.m. I was alone sitting at a picnic table across from the Waterfront Resort in Summerland when I saw a black bear walking down the sidewalk.

I pulled out my phone to take a photo as I thought this bear was going to continue down the sidewalk but instead he turned in to the driveway and walked right up to the picnic table where I was sitting alone.

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I managed to take a few photos of the bear and moved slightly to put my phone away which seemed to have startled the bear even though I thought he was heading for right for me the bear didn’t realize I was there until I moved. I was sitting so still and quiet.

The bear grunted a bit and stepped back a few steps when he realized I was sitting on the other side of the table.

I was surprised and startled the bear but I was frozen in fear.

Almost at the same moment when I was realizing I was in imminent danger, a gold coloured van who was trailing and watching the bear walk down the sidewalk. They realized the bear was heading toward me.

The man honked his horn.

The bear was still facing me.

The man honked again and the bear retreated and ran up the wooded hillside. The man from the van said, “come this way.” I could barely walk after this close encounter and it all happened so fast and I was never able to thank the man and the woman in the van for saving me.

I seriously don’t know what I would have done — or what the bear would have done if they weren’t there to scare the bear away.

Thank you man in the van. You are my hero.

You were in the right place at the right time for me. Thank you to you and your wife from the bottom of my heart.

Adriana Langille

Summerland

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