An eleven-year-old boy experienced a heart-stopping encounter of a lifetime when a massive black bear chased him into a Family Dollar store in Pennsylvania.
A Routine Trip Turns Into a Nightmare
Cole Frazee, aged 11, was shopping with his father when he stepped outside to see what was causing a delay. Instead of finding his dad, he came face-to-face with a formidable predator. The enormous black bear lunged at him without warning, sparking a terrifying fight for survival.
"I was like, 'I’m probably going to get eaten by a bear,'" Cole later told local news outlet KDKA. His initial hope that the creature would lose interest was shattered when the bear began its pursuit, forcing the terrified boy to sprint back into the shop for safety.
The Frantic Chase Through the Aisles
The bear was hot on the boy's heels, trailing a mere foot and a half behind him as it followed him straight through the door. "When it runs after me, I turn around and run in the store. I’m screaming and stuff," Cole recounted. He began weaving frantically up and down the aisles, desperately trying to avoid becoming the animal's next meal.
Spotting the store's cashier, the only other person present, Cole ran to her for help. In a swift, life-saving move, the worker scooped him up and both jumped onto the top of the counter to get a better view of their surroundings and the bear's location.
A Daring Escape and the Bear's Aftermath
From their elevated perch, the cashier saw the bear heading towards the back of the store. Seizing the moment when the coast was clear, they made a run for it. "She grabbed her coat, the keys and the phone, and we ran out of there. When we ran out of there, we all got in the car," Cole explained.
Stunning surveillance footage from the store then shows the bear returning to the front, where it leaped over the counter the pair had just vacated. The black bear remained inside the premises for another ten minutes before eventually leaving of its own accord.
Cole said he felt a wave of relief once he was safely inside a locked car. Reflecting on the surreal event, he called it a "crazy experience" and added, "That’s like one in a million right there." The following day, he shared his unbelievable story with his stunned classmates, a tale he will undoubtedly remember for the rest of his life.
According to the National Wildlife Federation, a hulking male black bear can weigh over 600 pounds, while females are smaller, rarely exceeding 200 pounds, highlighting the sheer size and power of the animal Cole encountered.
