While driving through Kettle Creek State Park in Pennsylvania, Sarah Lindgren spotted something so alarming that she pulled over immediately.
Just off the road, she saw a young animal stuck in a dangerous situation, its small head wedged inside a plastic container.
She reacted instantly, knowing that the little creature needed help right away. Her quick response ended up saving a life that may not have survived much longer.
An Unexpected Moment That Called For Action
Sarah Lindgren, a Park Manager at Kettle Creek State Park, was heading toward the nearby community of Cross Fork when something along the roadside caught her attention.
“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 moved in slowly, she realized the truth. It was a bear cub, and its head was tightly stuck inside a plastic jar.
The cub had most likely been struggling for hours, unable to remove the container by itself.
“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 carefully gripped the container and pulled until it finally came free.
The little cub froze, staring up at the person who had just freed him.
“I kind of hung out, so he didn’t run out onto the road or like topple over,” Lindgren said. She stayed nearby, softly speaking to reassure him that he was safe now.
“The car came, and he spooked up into the tree and sat there and rested for a few hours,” she added.
The Rescue Story Spreads Quickly
Once the cub was safe, Lindgren shared a brief video of the rescue online. It quickly gained attention, with thousands thanking her for stepping in to help the young bear.
Many were curious about what happened next, so Sarah offered an update.
She contacted the Pennsylvania Game Commission, who confirmed that the cub was old enough to survive on his own and did not require additional intervention.
“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 also noted that the region around Kettle Creek has a thriving bear population, which gives the cub a strong chance of continuing to do well.
“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.
Since the rescue, the cub has become somewhat of a local legend, and people have praised Sarah for her compassion and bravery.
For Lindgren, it was never about attention. It was simply about helping an animal in trouble. She has assisted wildlife before, and this latest act shows how one person’s decision to stop and help can change the course of a life.