An Ordinary Day in the Wild

October in the Shoshone National Forest, Cody, Wyoming, is a landscape of stark, breathtaking beauty—a place where the vastness of nature meets the quiet thrill of the hunt. It was here, in 2022, that two college wrestlers and longtime friends, Kendell Cummings and Brady Lowry, set out on a routine “shed-hunting” trip, searching for antlers naturally shed by elk and deer. For these athletes, who share the rigorous discipline of the wrestling mat, the rugged wilderness was simply another arena for challenge and camaraderie.

They were deep in the forest, their eyes scanning the underbrush, enjoying the crisp mountain air. They were two young men, strong and focused, feeling utterly alive in the high country. They knew the risks of the area—this was prime grizzly territory—but the beauty and the hunt usually kept caution at a manageable distance.

The Ambush: A Fury of Teeth and Claws

The ordinary day shattered in an instant. There was no warning—no rustle, no groan—only the terrifying, explosive force of nature’s apex predator. A full-grown grizzly bear, magnificent and terrifying, burst from the thicket and ambushed Brady Lowry.

The shock was immediate and paralyzing. Lowry was ripped to the ground, the bear’s claws tearing at his body. In the face of such overwhelming, primal violence, most people would freeze. The instinct for self-preservation is powerful.

But not for Kendell Cummings.

The Hero’s Leap: Instinct Over Fear

Kendell witnessed the attack. He saw the sheer terror in his friend’s eyes and the crushing weight of the bear upon him. In that split second, the decision was made. It wasn’t a calculated move; it was a pure, raw act of friendship and heroism honed by years of training to act decisively under pressure.

Cummings became a human battering ram. He sprinted toward the raging animal, screaming and yelling, throwing rocks in a desperate attempt to distract the beast. His goal wasn’t to win a fight—it was simply to draw the bear’s attention away from his helpless friend.

Finally, in an act of sheer, unbelievable daring, Kendell did what a wrestler does best: he went for the ultimate takedown. He lunged at the massive grizzly, grabbing it by the ear and pulling with all his might, successfully wrenching the predator off Brady.

A Battle of Wills

The strategy worked. The grizzly, enraged and diverted, instantly turned its full, terrifying fury onto Kendell.

What followed was a brutal, one-sided battle for survival. The bear mauled Kendell relentlessly, biting his arms, his torso, and inflicting horrific wounds to his head. The force of the attack was so intense it actually crashed his skull. The odds were zero. It was a college athlete against an animal built for absolute destruction.

Yet, Kendell kept fighting. He thrashed, he struggled, he refused to become compliant. He had bought his friend time, and now he was fighting for his own life with a resilience that defied physics and nature. And then, a miracle: For reasons no one can explain—perhaps exhausted, perhaps confused by the sheer tenacity of the human spirit—the bear retreated. It turned and lumbered back into the woods, leaving two broken but breathing young men in its wake.

The Long Walk to Safety

Brady Lowry, despite a broken arm and numerous puncture wounds, had seen the whole terrifying ordeal. He fought through the shock and pain, his focus now shifting to survival. He had to save the man who had just saved him.

Lowry managed to find a signal on his phone and made the desperate, life-saving call to 911. What followed was a massive, collaborative effort. Fellow teammates, coaches, and expert rescuers braved the remote terrain to reach them. The path to safety was arduous—each injured man had to be carried out across the rugged forest floor, a difficult, painful journey for everyone involved.

Finally, they reached medical care. The severity of Kendell’s injuries was astounding, particularly to his skull and head, requiring immense medical skill and intervention.

The True Measure of a Champion

Today, both Kendell Cummings and Brady Lowry have made a full, remarkable recovery. Their story became a national phenomenon, a viral sensation that puts a face to the word ‘hero.’

This wasn’t just a physical fight; it was a contest of spirit. Kendell Cummings didn’t just wrestle a grizzly; he wrestled fear, he wrestled instinct, and he wrestled death. He won not with superior strength, but with superior selflessness.

His actions redefine the meaning of a teammate, a friend, and a champion. On the wrestling mat, you learn about dedication and endurance. In the Shoshone National Forest, Kendell showed the world that he also learned the most vital lesson of all: The greatest victory is not a pin on the mat, but saving a life.

His story stands as a powerful, humbling testament to the extraordinary courage that lies dormant in ordinary people, ready to be unleashed when a friend needs them most.