16-Year-Old Runner Texts for Help After Bear Attack During Alaska Race—Found Dead 500 Yards from Trail in 2017

He was pronounced dead at the scene!

September 29, 2026

This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on September 16, 2026

A 16-year-old runner from Anchorage, Alaska, was found dead on June 18, 2017, after being attacked by a bear during the Robert Spurr Memorial Hill Climb on Bird Ridge.

Even though the teenager, Patrick Cooper, sent a desperate text to his mother at exactly 12:37, saying a 250-pound bear had chased him, he couldn’t be saved.

He was already 500 yards away from the trial, and the race director and officials were already on high alert. Patrick was already halfway through and approximately 1.5 miles from the starting point.

Potential Mother Bear Ran Off After Being Shot

Officials, although they shot the bear right in the face, it reportedly ran off. “It did definitely took a slug strike to the face when the ranger fired on it. We know he struck it,” said Tom Crockett.

Jack Cooper (wearing a red top with the number 261) was mauled to death by a black bear. (Source: )

According to the officials, the attack was not normal; the bear could have mauled the teenager to protect her cubs.

Matt Wedeking, a division operations manager, added about the attack, “We don’t know. There could have been (cubs around). But right now I don’t have any information about the bear.”

Competitors in the Bird Ridge race sign a liability waiver as part of the registration process.

The last attack by a bear in Anchorage, Alaska, before the incident was in 1995, when two people were mauled in the Turnagain Arm area while protecting their hunt.

Jack was an adventurous teenager. (Source: )

“Competitors in the Bird Ridge race sign a liability waiver as part of the registration process. But competitors often train alone in such areas and are fully aware of the dangers. Races actually can be said to cut down on the risk of a bear encounter because so many people are there, making noise and making their presence known. There’s no safer time to be on a mountain than on a race,” said Precosky, race director, on potential risks, who initially alerted the crews to begin the search, which took a couple of hours.

The last attack by a bear in Anchorage, Alaska, before the incident was in 1995, when two people were mauled in the Turnagain Arm area while protecting their hunt.

However, there have been a few more of the same incidents in Anchorage; thankfully, the Bear has not been able to kill the individuals.

Lately, on July 22, 2026, a woman was mauled by a brown bear while hiking on the Basher Trail near Anchorage, Alaska, but was later rescued and admitted to the hospital.

In Case You Didn’t Know

• Jack had just finished his 10th-grade year at East Anchorahe High School before his death.
• Alongside racing, the late teenager also enjoyed basketball, fishing, hockey, chess, and Monopoly.
• The funeral was held on June 24, 2017, at the Anchorage Church of Christ.

• Check other Articles on

Anish Koirala has loved sports since he was a kid. He grew up playing basketball and soccer, and that passion stayed with him over the years. Today, Anish works as a writer and editor, sharing his knowledge and love for the game through articles and stories. He uses his playing experience to make his writing clear, thoughtful, and fun to read.

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