Jessica Gamboa survived a bear attack by playing dead and then dragged herself uphill two miles while bleeding from serious injuries before finding help near a U.S. military base in Alaska, according to The Associated Press.
Gamboa is originally from California but is married to a soldier on the base, the AP reported. Gamboa and her husband were jogging near the base when they became separated.
In a videotaped interview at her hospital bed, Gamboa says she surrendered to the bear during the attack May 18 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, the AP reported.
The Army on Thursday released the interview of Gamboa and a combat medic who rescued her after the mauling, according to the AP. The mauling left her with lacerations to her neck, arms and legs, and neck fractures.
The woman likely survived the Sunday attack by playing dead, said Jim Hart, spokesman for Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, the AP reported.
"It's amazing for her to be able to walk that far in spite of her injuries," Hart said, according to the AP. "It's pretty heroic."
The bear, was with two young and was likely protecting its young, will be left in peace, although the area where the attack occurred will be temporarily closed off, the AP reported.
"The bear did what bears do," Hart said, according to the AP. "She did what she was supposed to. She just lay still."
