In a heart-stopping tale of bravery and unwavering spirit, the wilds of Wyoming witnessed a remarkable display of heroism. Brady Lowry, Kendall Cummings, Orrin Jackson, and August Harrison, four extraordinary wrestlers hailing from the rugged landscapes of the Cowboy State, triumphed over a fearsome grizzly bear. Recognizing their courage and strength, Cowboy Skill proudly honored these brave warriors during the prestigious 2023 Cheyenne Frontier Days.
October 15, 2022, started out as many other hunting expeditions do for the four Northwest College wrestlers in the captivating Shoshone National Forest. As the day drew to a close, the teammates decided to part ways – Lowry and Cummings chose a meandering path leading back to their truck, parked roughly four miles away, while Jackson and Harrison opted for a different route to the vehicle.
The Heroic Encounter:
Cummings and Lowry soon realized that they were walking into grizzly bear territory when they came upon several piles of fresh bear scat. Before they could turn around, a grizzly bear came running out from the bushes.
The first to get attacked was Lowry, with a head-on collision that tossed him to the ground. The bear then began attacking his face. “I threw my arm up and it locked on,” Lowry said. “It kind of started throwing me around like a ragdoll, and I was just helpless. It snapped my arm in a couple spots.”
While fighting for his life, Lowry was in shock. The attack happened so quickly that he didn’t have enough time to grab the bear spray he had packed. Cummings, witnessing the attack, began yelling and throwing rocks in an attempt to pull the bear from his friend. Eventually, he took matters into his own hands, jumping on the bear and pulling at its ears.
While the distraction worked, allowing Lowry time to pull himself up to a nearby hill, the bear’s attention was now on Cummings. The bear then began to attack, dragging Cummings into the timber.
Cummings eventually emerged from the brush, covered in blood after sustaining multiple serious injuries. Fortunately, Lowry was able to call 911, and flag his other teammates, who courageously pulled their two injured friends from the wilderness, over a mile trip back down the mountain.
From there, the Park County Search and Rescue Team was able to transport them to St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, Montana.
After several surgeries, Lowry for a broken arm and lacerations to his back, and Cummings for extensive head injuries, the two friends are on the mend and looking forward to getting back to both wrestling and romping around in the hills.
The Cowboy Skill Recognition:
The wrestlers’ fearless confrontation with a grizzly bear will forever be etched in the hearts of Wyoming’s people, a timeless tale of bravery and friendship that will echo through the ages. Their unwavering courage and tenacity serve as an enduring reminder of the legendary spirit of the Wyoming cowboy. As their names now stand adorned with honor, recognized by Cowboy Skill powered by Pace-O-Matic during the 2023 Cheyenne Frontier Days, their story shall inspire generations to come, kindling the flame of courage and fortitude in all who hear their epic tale.
“People always ask me why I did it and the answer is I just felt like it was the right thing to do, I felt like it was what I had to do. If I didn’t do what I did, I think I would regret it every day,” said Cummings. When asked about being honored at Cheyenne Frontier Days, he added, “There were a lot of people here today, it means a lot, I really have no words.”
More Heroes To Come
Paul Goldean, CEO of Pace-O-Matic, said there are two other Hometown Heroes events coming up.
Howard Dykes, a Cheyenne man who donated 39 gallons of blood and is credited with saving more than 900 lives, will be recognized on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Tiffany Gruetzmacher, an emergency medical technician who was critically injured while responding to a crash near Rawlins, Wyoming will be saluted.
Tyeler Harris, an EMT who was with Gruetzmacher that evening, was killed in the accident and left behind a wife and three young children.
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