A Washington woman's biking excursion turned into a life-or-death struggle when a cougar pounced, only for her to be dramatically rescued by her quick-thinking cycling crew in a remote trail incident. Keri Bergere, 60, credits her survival to the heroic efforts of her fellow cyclists after being attacked while riding along Tokul Creek trail. In what seems a scene straight from an action flick, Bergere's friends fended off the wild beast in a desperate bid to save her, "I felt something to my right, I looked to my right, I saw the face of the cougar, and the next flash I was on the other side of the road," Bergere recounted to KOMO News.
It was during a routine ride on February 17, that Bergere along with Annie Bilotta, and Tisch Williams, experienced the harrowing assault. The group of competitive cyclists, who had been riding together for at least five years, found themselves suddenly in a life-threatening situation 19 miles into their trail ride near Snoqualmie. The cougar "kind of ran between the two groups of us and one went up into the woods and the other one changed his mind, and decided to tackle Keri," Bilotta described in an interview with KING 5. In an extraordinary act of bravery, the women intervened with whatever means they had at their disposal to pry their friend from the animal's grip.
The frightening ordeal lasted nearly fifteen minutes before the women managed to create a moment of release allowing Bergere a chance to escape. Bergere herself fought valiantly, trying to gouge the animal’s eyes and reach up its nose and mouth. Following the cougar's relent, the group then managed to pin the animal down with a bike until first responders arrived. "Keri's just laying there by herself, and we kept saying, 'Are you doing OK?' and she would just give us a bloody thumbs up that she was doing OK," Williams told KING 5. The cougar was eventually secured by authorities, and Bergere was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
This incident underscores both the volatility of wild animal encounters and the resolute spirit of human solidarity in the face of danger. Bergere's life was saved due to her friend’s courage and quick action, a stark reminder of the unpredictability inherent in nature, and the profound bonds forged through shared adversity. According to a statement obtained by KOMO News, authorities from the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife are investigating the incident and reminding trail users to be vigilant while in cougar habitats.
