The Bear's Embrace: A Story of Survival

An astonishing memoir about how one woman survived a brutal attack by a grizzly bear, and how she recovered—as a survivor, a wife and a mother.

“Overwhelmingly inspirational.... Van Tighem’s story is a testament to human strength” —The Plain Dealer

On a chilly autumn morning in 1983, during a relaxing escape to the Canadian Rockies, Patricia Van Tighem and her husband were attacked by a grizzly bear. Although they survived, their ordeal was just beginning. For years Van Tighem endured numerous surgeries as doctors attempted to reconstruct her face and ease her pain. The nightmares that haunted her carried their own psychological burden. In many ways she had to redefine her sense of who she was. 

Van Tighem’s tale is astonishing and beautifully written. Showing a resilience that has overcome even the most traumatic of events, The Bear’s Embrace is a truly inspiring testament to the power of the human spirit.