Ann Scheller

San Francisco, California

When Ann Scheller decided to hike into the Alaska wilderness, she didn’t anticipate the harrowing experience ahead of her. In July 2006, she and her daughter were crewing on a boat that had anchored in a bay north of Ketchikan. Shortly after the two, along with the boat captain, started their hike, Ann took a side path. She hadn’t gone far when she rounded a corner and met a grizzly sow with two cubs. When the cubs ran toward her, the sow intervened—knocking Ann down, grabbing her neck and crushing her throat. As an emergency room nurse and an experienced outdoors woman, Ann knew what to do. She curled into a fetal position, and the bear left. Then she wrapped a jacket around her neck, left her pack on the trail to attract the attention of her companions and crawled to a nearby meadow. She waited three hours until they found her. Ann required surgery to close her wounds. It took time, but she has recovered. Her courage, training and presence of mind got her through the ordeal, and she still loves her wilderness hikes.

From Ketchikan General Hospital (Ketchikan, AK) to Harborview Medical Center (Seattle, WA)