Teenager survives terrifying bear attack thanks to brother

A 15-year-old boy was attacked by a bear while camping with his family in Arizona last week.

Carol Hawkins, Brigham Hawkins' mother, said a black bear came through the front door of a cabin the family lived in, came up behind her son and wiped his face and head, leaving large bloody scratches on the boy's skin.

The bear came back a second time and hit the boy's arm. The family was camping at Alpine.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) shot the bear, which they suspected was about three years old.

The boy's older brother, Parker, 18, heard him screaming and tried to help, his mother told 12News. The other child thought the animal was a dog and did not realize he was facing a bear until it started chasing him. Brigham was alone in one cabin while his family was in another.

“Parker ran onto the porch and went into the other cabin to escape the bear,” Ms. Hawkins said. “And the bear was pacing back and forth on our porch.”

The children's father, Shane, fled to Brigham's cabin. As he ran, the bear chased him. However, the father managed to enter the cabin and call 911.

Once AZGFD officials arrived on scene, they quickly located the bear. The family told the outlet they understood it was necessary to put the animal down.

“People who…don't understand wildlife or Arizona think you know this is just normal bear behavior and we should be understanding.

“I just wish people would understand… it’s not what you would expect, it’s not normal. For some reason, something was wrong with this bear, something was wrong.

The agency told the news outlet that the bear's carcass would be examined and tested for disease by the department's wildlife health specialists. Brigham is fine, his mother said. The child was taken to hospital for treatment and authorities administered rabies vaccinations as a precaution.

“For the most part, he’s been very happy and grateful…to everyone,” the mother said. “He's had a lot of hardship in his life, and he's always done it with gratitude and a smile on his face, and he does the exact same thing with it.”

According to 12News, this is the 16th bear attack on people in Arizona since 1990, with the most recent death occurring last year.

When coming into contact with a bear, experts advise people not to run, back away slowly, appear larger, throw objects and yell at the bear, and defend themselves if attacked .