Alexander Gabriel, a 16-year-old Athens resident, is in recovery after being attacked by a bear on a backpacking trip in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
An Athens teenager made national news after surviving a bear attack June 6 at a campsite in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Athens resident Gabriel Alexander, 16, was on a backpacking trip with his father, Greg Alexander, when he was attacked by a black bear at 10:30 p.m. while sleeping in a hammock, according to a National Park Service news release.
Gabriel received multiple injuries from the attack, including lacerations to the head, but his father was able to drive the bear away from the campsite. Gabriel was later airlifted to Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina where he is currently recovering.
Gabriel remained conscious throughout the ordeal and is now in stable condition, according to the news release. The release also indicated that Gabriel and his father had properly stored their food and equipment.
USA Today and Reuters were among the news organizations that reported on the incident, which has caused park officials to close several trails and campsites in the national park.
In addition, a bear found near the campsite – presumably the one who attacked Gabriel – was captured and humanely euthanized on Tuesday, park spokesman Brent Everitt said in an email.
“It returned directly to the site, within feet of where the Alexanders' hammock was strung,” Everitt said. “Due to the seriousness of the attack, our staff acted swiftly and did not take chances.”
Park rangers and wildlife biologists responded to the site to investigate the area. Everitt said hair and blood samples from the campsite and the bear were sent for DNA testing.
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