October 31, 2013 - 10:29 AM
MONTREAL - A man has been rescued, clinging to his life, after spending three months in a remote forest during which he survived a bear attack.
Police are sharing the improbable story of 44-year-old Marco Lavoie. The experienced hiker set off on a planned two-month excursion on July 16, 2013.
Police can't say exactly when the bear attack occurred. But it's believed that in mid-August, halfway through his planned trip, a bear attacked his encampment, ate his food, and destroyed his survival gear.
Because he'd had so much experience in the deep woods, when he didn't turn up back home last month his loved ones simply assumed he'd extended his stay in the Lake Matagami region of northwestern Quebec.
But they became increasingly alarmed in recent weeks and called the provincial police on Oct. 21. Police sent out a helicopter and managed to rescue him.
Lavoie is in critical condition in hospital, seriously emaciated, and is expected to spend the next few weeks on an IV before he can begin drinking and eating solid foods again.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013