NEWSLINK: Alberni cougar attack victim awarded for bravery

Conservation Service Chief Kelly Larkin, left, beams after presenting a bravery award and honourary conservation officer citation to Kaylem Doherty on Friday afternoon. Doherty survived a cougar attack in Alberni in August 2012 and has since displayed an interest in one day becoming a conservation officer.

WAWMEESH G. HAMILTON/Alberni Valley News

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By Wawmeesh G. Hamilton - Alberni Valley News
Published: February 04, 2013 5:00 PM 
Updated: February 04, 2013 6:42 PM

A Port Alberni boy who survived a cougar attack last summer was acknowledged for his bravery and given special recognition by the BC Conservation Service.

Conservation officials presented Kaylum Doherty, 8, with a certificate of bravery and a service medal in a special ceremony at the BC Conservation office in Port Alberni. Doherty's father Rick and Bobbi Jo Shafer were presented with bravery awards as well.

“The family experienced a lot of physical and emotional trauma as a result of the event,” Conservation Service Chief Kelly Larkin said. “Even getting to safety was a challenge they had to fight through.”

The arc of events began on Aug. 15 when Doherty and his parents were camping at the Taylor Flats section of Sproat Lake. Kaylum was attacked and by an adult cougar and left with puncture wounds to his head, back and arm.

Kaylum's parents fought the animal off then loaded the profusely bleeding boy into the family car after finding there was no cellphone reception. The car broke down just as they called 9-1-1. “Kaylum stayed calm through the whole thing,” Shafer said. “We were the ones who were panicking.”