Real Survival Stories – "Man vs Beast: Half-Eaten Alive"

Podcast: Real Survival Stories | Host: John Hopkins | Date: December 4, 2025
Episode Theme:
This gripping episode recounts the harrowing true story of Colin Dowler, an outdoorsman who survived a nearly fatal grizzly bear attack in the wilds of British Columbia in July 2019. Through first-hand narration and vivid storytelling, listeners follow Colin’s journey from route-finding in the mountains to a desperate, life-or-death fight with a powerful predator—and his incredible self-rescue against all odds.

1. Episode Overview

Colin Dowler, a seasoned outdoorsman and father of two, sets off on a solo trip to scout a mountain named after his grandfather. Alone in remote wilderness, Colin suddenly encounters a grizzly bear. What starts as a tense standoff rapidly descends into an all-out battle for survival, with Colin sustaining horrific injuries. The story follows his improvised self-defense, his pain-racked journey for help, and his emotional and physical recovery.

2. Key Discussion Points & Insights

A. The Prelude: Wilderness Preparation

• Scouting Mission: Colin sets out ahead of a planned climb with his brother, aiming to map a safe route up Mount Doogie Dowler. “This time my intention was not to climb the mountain, but to see if I could find reasonable access to the alpine so that when it was time to climb the mountain, we weren’t wasting your time.” (06:20 – Colin Dowler)
• Receiving Bear Spray: A camp cook gives Colin bear spray and a lift part way. They joke about wilderness dangers: “He took a picture of me and laughed. ‘This one’s for the milk carton, in case you don’t return.’” (07:38 – Colin Dowler)

B. Encounter with the Bear

• Missing Bear Spray: On his return, Colin discovers his bear spray is gone, heightening his vulnerability. (14:26–14:42)
• Initial Sighting: Colin sees a grizzly blocking the road just kilometers from his boat. “75 or 100ft in front of me, there was a grizzly bear standing on the road.” (16:41 – Colin Dowler)
• Attempted Deterrence: He tries shooing the bear with noise and his hiking pole, but the bear is undeterred and approaches with curiosity and escalating aggression:
  • “I pushed a little bit right... Didn’t want him to be angry. He rolled his head and bit the pole and we tugged... then he let go of the pole and started to focus on me again.” (22:34 – Colin Dowler)
  • Offers his backpack as distraction, to no effect. (22:49–22:59)

C. The Violent Attack

• The Assault: The bear lunges at Colin, slamming him to the ground and biting through his midsection.
  • “I took my bike and I threw it at him out of desperation... then he lunged at me. This was all super slow motion.” (24:11 – Colin Dowler)
  • “So I'm hanging upside down in this bear's jaws, thinking to myself, oh man, like I am in trouble here.” (25:21 – Colin Dowler)
• Attempts to Fight Back: Colin tries eye gouging but the bear’s head is too wide. His desperation becomes overwhelming:
  • “I thought to myself, I have to start fighting back here... I tried to double eye gouge him, but his head was too wide... so I thought I’ll just go for one eye, I guess.” (26:11 – Colin Dowler)
  • “I remember, you know, yelling, ‘Why?’ and ‘Stop.’ And I was just beside myself. I couldn't think of anything else I could do. I remember feeling like, really ashamed...because my wife definitely didn’t want me to go on this trip.” (29:02 – Colin Dowler)

D. The Turning Point: The Knife

• Weapon of Last Resort: Remembering his 2-inch pocketknife, Colin, pinned and nearly unconscious, manages to retrieve it.
  • “I didn't have the strength to pull my right arm through... so I pulled with my right and pushed with my left and pushed my hand into my gut to get under the pressure of the bear laying on me.” (31:14 – Colin Dowler)
• Critical Blow: He stabs the bear multiple times in the neck, finally striking a fatal wound:
  • “And while I was thinking all these thoughts, giant gush of blood came spewing out of his neck. And I said aloud at that point, ‘Now you're bleeding too, bear.’” (33:14 – Colin Dowler)
• Bear Retreats: The bear staggers off, leaving Colin critically injured, but alive. He fashions tourniquets from his shirt sleeves. (34:37)

E. Ordeal to Reach Help

• Self-Rescue: Bleeding heavily, with a useless left leg, Colin attempts to cycle 7 km back to camp.
  • “I want to get away from this bear because I don't know where he is... So I decided that I would try to get on my bike and ride back to the Lardon camp.” (35:55 – Colin Dowler)
• Physical Collapse: He repeatedly falls and pushes himself to continue:
  • “Went to pedal and take my first push off and immediately fell off the other side of my bike and face planted... So I just told myself, you got to suck it up and dig deep.” (36:43 – Colin Dowler)
• Sheer Determination: He powers the bike one-legged, fighting excruciating pain.
  • “My small man's complex is win the bombers never give up. So I just kept pedaling. I told myself, Colin, you need to focus on breathing and keeping your foot on the pedal.” (40:34 – Colin Dowler)

F. Rescue, Recovery, and Reflection

• Collapse at Camp: He crashes into the logging camp, yells for help, and is immediately tended to by shocked loggers.
  • “I rolled in and I crashed into the deck... I yelled, ‘help.’” (41:32 – Colin Dowler)
• Phone Calls: The loggers help him call his wife and family, fearing it may be his last chance.
  • “They didn’t say ‘hey, it’s your last chance to say goodbye’ but pretty certain that’s what was going through their mind.” (42:49 – Colin Dowler)
• Medical Evacuation: Air ambulance paramedics give him a blood transfusion. “...told me that I was lucky they had the blood on board system because without it I probably wouldn’t make it back to the hospital alive.” (45:00 – Colin Dowler)
• Physical & Emotional Recovery: Months of rehabilitation follow, punctuated by frequent emotional turmoil and trauma reminders.
  • “Six months later I went, you know, from crying daily to maybe only crying several times a week. So now I'm at a stage where, you know, I only get really emotional about it when I'm talking about it.” (46:49 – Colin Dowler)
  • Lingering nerve damage and psychological scars persist.
• Bear's Fate: Conservation officers track and euthanize the bear. Standard after an unprovoked attack. (47:42)
• Reflection on Survival:
  • “Has it made me stronger? I don’t think so. Has it given me purpose in the present moment? For sure... I know that my body's not going to last as long as I'd predicted. So it's like now's the time to climb mountains.” (48:22 – Colin Dowler)
  • “When I was being mauled by the bear, it was more about... how I used to dig deep when I was competing in high school on endurance runs... in that survival moment... it was just focusing on, like, digging deep to have the stamina to persevere, to survive.” (48:59 – Colin Dowler)

3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I thought, well, I'll just go for one eye, I guess... grip his ear and fur and stab him in the eye... so hard that there was no way I could be defeated or he could handle that pain.” (26:11 – Colin Dowler)
• “Now you're bleeding too, bear.” (33:14 – Colin Dowler) – A moment of raw triumph shouted as the grizzly finally releases him.
• “So I just told myself, you got to suck it up and dig deep.” (36:43 – Colin Dowler) – Shows Colin’s relentless mindset.
• “My small man's complex is win the bombers never give up. So I just kept paddling. I told myself, Colin, you need to focus on breathing and keeping your foot on the pedal.” (40:34 – Colin Dowler)
• “If I don't make it out here alive, I think I killed a grizzly bear with my knife...” (43:18 – Colin Dowler, to his brother)
• “Has it made me stronger? I don’t think so. Has it given me purpose in the present moment? For sure... now's the time to climb mountains.” (48:22 – Colin Dowler)
• “I am constantly reminded... I'm reminded every mole by bear. Right. And you know, it doesn't take much of a movement for the wounds to act up.” (46:49 – Colin Dowler)

4. Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Description | Timestamp | |---------|-------------|-----------| | Introduction & Colin’s Background | Host sets the scene; Colin’s upbringing & motivations | 00:33 – 12:57 | | Start of the Expedition | Arrival, pepper spray, and route finding | 06:05 – 14:42 | | The Bear Encounter | First sighting, escalation, attempted deterrence | 16:41 – 23:04 | | The Attack | Bear charges and mauls Colin, initial fightback | 24:11 – 33:14 | | Wounding the Bear & Aftermath | Using the knife, bear retreats, Colin’s injuries | 33:14 – 34:59 | | Ordeal to Get Help | Makes makeshift tourniquets, cycles to camp | 35:05 – 41:32 | | Rescue & Hospital | Loggers respond, airlift, treatment and reflection | 41:32 – 45:29 | | Recovery & Aftermath | Physical/emotional recovery, bear’s fate, lessons | 46:01 – 49:45 |

5. Episode Tone & Takeaways

• Tone: Authentic, intense, and deeply personal. Colin’s humor, vulnerability, and fortitude fuse with the show’s immersive, dramatic narration for an emotionally charged listen.
• Key Takeaways:
  • Preparation saves lives, but improvisation is equally vital when all else fails.
  • The will to "dig deep"—mentally and physically—can mean the difference between life and death.
  • Survival leaves lasting marks, both visible and invisible, but also brings acute appreciation for life.

[Listen to "Real Survival Stories" for more astonishing first-hand survival accounts.]