That's the best story of the year. The sheriff said he was the toughest kid he ever saw. I believe him when he said a bear kept him warm.

It’s truly a miracle that the kid survived with freezing temps and rain. And if his belief in a bear helped him through it then that’s wonderful. Not a good narrative to push though. Bears aren’t friendly and the general public isn’t smart.

It is my understanding that bears are in winter hibernation this time of the year, sounds more like a black lab (dog) to me.

Big Foot

The woman they were interviewing on one of the news stations was saying that bears in eastern NC have very short hibernations, sometimes getting up to move around and eat. Also said if one had lost her cub she could be in a protective mode and there have been instances of sows nurturing other youngsters not of their species. Maybe she was taking up for the kid. Maybe it was a big dog. I might agree with one of the other interviewees who called it "Divine intervention."