While driving through Kettle Creek State Park in Pennsylvania, Sarah Lindgren noticed something unusual that made her stop immediately.
There on the roadside was a troubling sight, a young animal with its head stuck inside a plastic container.
Without wasting time, she decided she had to step in and help.
Her quick action changed everything for a small creature that otherwise would not have survived.
The Rescue Effort
Sarah Lindgren, who works as a Park Manager at Kettle Creek State Park, was on her way to the town of Cross Fork when she spotted something on the edge of the road.
“I noticed what looked like a bear with something on its head just laying motionless on the berm of the road. I obviously did a scan before I walked up, I just, I knew that mom wasn’t around,” Lindgren said in her interview with CBS News.
As she carefully approached, she realized it was a bear cub, its head trapped tightly inside a plastic container.
The poor cub must have been terrified, stranded alone by the roadside, waiting for someone to notice him.
“As I walked up to the cub, he picked up his head. So, I went into super sneak mode to approach him,” Lindgren told The Dodo.
She quickly grabbed the container and pulled until it finally came free.
The cub was so shocked afterward that he just stood still, staring at the woman who had freed him.
“I kind of hung out, so he didn’t run out onto the road or like topple over,” Lindgren said. She also started to encourage him and reassure him that it’s all okay now.
“The car came, and he spooked up into the tree and sat there and rested for a few hours,” she added.
The Bear Cub Gains Attention
Lindgren later posted a video of the rescue on her social media, showing the moment she freed the young bear from the plastic container. The post quickly spread and caught the attention of thousands of people.
Curious followers wanted to know how the cub was doing, so Sarah gave an update.
She had contacted the Pennsylvania Game Commission, who confirmed that the cub was old enough to take care of himself.
“The famous bear cub recovering in a tree. Mom hasn’t been around through the whole ordeal, but the cub is old enough to survive on its own. It’s certainly not an ideal situation, but it’s better off today than it was on Sunday,” Sarah said in her Facebook post.
She explained that Pennsylvania has a healthy bear population, especially in the area where the cub was found, so he should have no trouble surviving.
“The biggest message here is just to be bear wise, you know securing your trash and securing your food items. It’s a big part of being bear wise. It was just ‘Oh I need to do this, and I just did it’. I did what I legally could do, and I’m happy that I came along to help”, Lindgren said.
The little bear quickly became beloved in the community, along with Sarah, who had stepped up in a way many might not have.
Sarah has helped animals before, and her actions remind us all of the difference a single person can make.