Pär survived the bear attack: “Still battered”

Last week, the annual bear hunt got under way and just a couple of hours after the start, the news of a bear attack was broadcast. A father and his son had been attacked by a bear. The bear attacked father Pär Sundström when his 14-year-old son Evert intervened and boxed the bear, which then changed its focus and attacked him instead. Then Pär managed to shoot the bear.

– We were a bit unlucky, a couple of bad decisions, but it went surprisingly well, you might say, says Pär Sundström in Efter fem.

Have been forced to take skin from the thigh

Both Pär and Evert were injured in the attack and had to be taken to hospital where Pär was treated for serious injuries. The bear had bitten Pär in the face and he was bleeding profusely from the face. Part of the face had been torn away and once the attack was over, parts of the nose and cheek lay on the ground. Now he has been forced to repair his face by taking a section of skin from his thigh.

– There are more operations before it is ready, but it is tight in any case, says Pär Sundström.

Will continue hunting

If son Evert had not intervened, Pär is afraid that anything could have happened, but believes that despite the attack, they managed surprisingly well with their lives intact. What would have happened if the son had not intervened is unclear.

– The risk is that it would have taken one or two more bites, says Pär Sundström.

Being so seriously injured by a bear attack could discourage him from continuing to hunt, but Pär believes he will go out again in the future.

– I have a hard time seeing that I shouldn’t hunt, says Pär Sundström.