A 25-year-old backcountry wanderer, a man happiest exploring wild places with his dog, Dan Bigley woke up one midsummer morning to a day full of promise. Before it was over, after a stellar day of salmon fishing along Alaska's Kenai and Russian rivers, a grizzly came tearing around a corner in the trail. Dan barely had time for "bear charging" to register before it had him on the ground, altering his life forever. "Upper nose, eyes, forehead anatomy unrecognizable," as the medevac report put it. Until then, one thing after another had fallen into place in Dan's life. He had a job he loved taking troubled kids on outdoor excursions. He had just bought a cabin high in the Chugach Mountains with a view that went on forever. He was newly in love. After a year of being intrigued by a woman named Amber, they had just spent their first night together. All of this was shattered by the mauling that nearly killed him, that left him blind and disfigured. Facing paralyzing pain and inconceivable loss, Dan was in no shape to be in a relationship. He and Amber let each other go. Five surgeries later, partway into his long healing journey, they found their way back to each other. The couple's unforgettable story is one of courage, tenacious will, and the power of love to lead the way out of darkness. Dan Bigley's triumph over tragedy is a testament to the ability of the human spirit to overcome physical and emotional devastation, to choose not just to live, but to live fully. Visit Dan Bigley's site or Beyond the Bear.

About the Author
Dan Bigley, who earned a master's degree in social work after losing his sight, is now the director of therapeutic foster care services at Denali Family Services in Anchorage and was awarded a 2008 Alaskan of the Year Award by the Governor's Committee on Employment and Rehabilitation for People with Disabilities. He lives in Anchorage, Alaska. Debra McKinney is a freelance writer who was part of a team that won journalism's highest honor, the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, for the Anchorage Daily News. She lives in Anchorage, Alaska.

Reviews
[A] richly detailed, emotional memoir . . . his story inspires and sticks with you long beyond the final page. . . .A well-written and touching tribute to human resilience. * Booklist *
[A] moving memoir. . . .readers will appreciate Bigley's inspirational and well-written story. * Publishers Weekly *
"This book is surprising in so many ways - heartfelt, funny, buoyant, tragic and triumphant - that after awhile I wanted to do nothing else but read it and be inspired and enthralled. And so I was."-Kim Heacox, author of The Only Kayak and Visions of a Wild America "Combine a man shaped by an extraordinary experience with a writer adept at weaving the threads of his story and the result is a stunningly powerful book. Beyond the Bear may compel you to worry less about all the bad things that could happen in life and focus instead on embracing its possibilities. You might as well buy extra copies for you will soon want to give others the gift of this insightful and riveting read." -Jill Fredston, author of Rowing to Latitude and Snowstruck "Beyond the Bear delivers in gut-wrenching detail the harrowing account of one of the most horrific bear attacks in recent Alaskan memory, but the book is so much more than a bear mauling. Beyond the Bear is a powerful love story and an unforgettable tale of hope and resilience, a triumph of the human spirit in the darkest of hours. A life destroyed in a blinding flash of blood and fur. A bright and beautiful Alaskan landscape seemingly darkened forever, the midnight sun all but extinguished, yet Dan Bigley's courage and heart take us all beyond the bear and along the way we all learn to see the world in a new and beautiful light." -Don Rearden, award-winning author of The Raven's Gift "Beyond the Bear is far more than another 'bear chew' book; it's a compelling, finely crafted tale of survival and redemption, a worthy addition to Alaska literature."-Nick Jans, author of The Grizzly Maze and A Wolf Called Romeo



Book Information
ISBN 9781493016426
Author Dan Bigley
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint The Lyons Press
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 16g
Dimensions(mm) 218mm * 137mm * 12mm