B.C. man who survived grizzly bear attack dies weeks later from complications

A British Columbia man who fought off a grizzly bear earlier this month has died more than three weeks after the attack near Fort Steele in the East Kootenay region.

Family members say 63-year-old Joe Pendry passed away Saturday morning from what doctors believe was a blood clot. His wife, Janice Pendry, told media that her husband had been recovering at Kelowna General Hospital, where he was walking and joking with staff the night before his death.

The October 2 incident occurred while Pendry was hunting elk northeast of Cranbrook. According to his wife’s earlier account, he fought back against the charging bear, using his hands and even his teeth after shooting the animal in the leg. The BC Conservation Officer Service later confirmed the grizzly was found dead nearby.

Pendry’s death has renewed community concern about bear encounters in southeastern B.C., where fall hunting season and increased bear activity often coincide. Wildlife officials continue to remind residents and hunters to take precautions and report all bear interactions to conservation authorities.