Motivation from a cyclist fight with a cougar

Motivation from Keri’s Cougar Fight

Last month Keri Bergere was tackled by a cougar while out for a bike ride. Keri suffered severe trauma to her face and permanent nerve damage. Last week, she spoke about the incident in a new interview. In the interview, the 60-year-old Keri shared how her 4 friends helped save her life during the 45-minute cougar fight.

The incident occurred on February 17th when the young cougar tackled Keri off her bike along a trail near North Bend, Washington. The cougar sunk his teeth into Keri’s jaw and pined her face to the ground while in a shallow ditch. Keri felt the cougar suffocating her while her bones crunched.

Keri’s lady friends, ages 51 to 64, jumped to her defense by throwing rocks at the cougar and unsuccessfully stabbing it with a two-inch knife. One friend attempted to choke the animal, but that did absolutely nothing. The friend even stuck her hands inside the cat's mouth, but quickly pulled them out when she felt the cougar shifting his teeth to bite her.

When a friend noticed the cougar hesitate, she told Keri to flea and the 60-year-old scrambled to safety while her friends pinned the animal down with a bike. They called 911 and a Fish & Wildlife Officer came and killed the cougar. An autopsy revealed the cougar had swallowed Keri’s earring. Keri would like to receive the earring back as a reminder of her fight with the cougar and her friends' bravery.

“All these ladies came up with superhuman strength,” Keri shared , praising her friends, “... I’m eternally grateful to each one of them.”

How can we use Keri’s story to motivate us?

Cherish the moments: When out for a run or bike ride, don’t take it for granted. We never know how things will change. Cougar attacks are highly unlikely, but crazy things occur that disrupt our lives. When things go well, cherish the moments.

Sometimes we need others to save us: As individuals we can only do so much. At times, we find ourselves in situations where others are needed to jump in and help us out. Whether that means fighting a cougar, listening to us vent or generally offering support. Don’t be afraid to let others help out and tell them how much you appreciate it - just like Keri did.

Humans are only humans: Humans have ascended to the top of earth’s food chain, but there remain many physically superior species, like cougars. Reminding ourselves that humans are simply part of a much larger living ecosystem on the planet can help us remain grounded and keep things in perspective.

Thanks Keri! Have a great week!