A dad says he cheated death after a 500lb black bear mauled him during his early morning commute – knocking him out and trying to eat him “like dessert”. Alexander Antonetty claims the 36st beast chased him down and pinned him to the ground in a terrifying attack at 5.30am on September 23, 2025.

The dad-of-two was riding his e-scooter to work in Orange County, California, when the Mini Cooper-sized animal suddenly charged, smashing into him and leaving him unconscious on the pavement. When the 40-year-old car part delivery driver came round moments later, he found himself “face-to-face” with the drooling predator – too badly hurt to escape.

A passing truck driver spotted the horror unfolding and repeatedly blasted his horn while shouting, frightening the bear off. Paramedics rushed Alexander to hospital where doctors confirmed he had broken his left leg, collarbone and three ribs, and torn his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

The injuries left him unable to work for months, placing huge financial strain on his family. He later set up a GoFundMe page hoping to raise $2,500 to support his household during his recovery – and has so far received $500 in donations. Four months after the ordeal, Alexander says he remains “scared” to return to work, with the bear still believed to be roaming nearby woodland.

Alexander, who is from Florida, said: “I was on my way to work at 5.30am. I was riding my e-scooter and there’s a pond at a stop sign before I get to my work, in our plaza [around it] there’s nothing but woods. I heard a couple of little splashes but I didn’t see anything. I didn’t think anything of it, I kept on going and then I heard something run in the pond. When I looked to my right, I saw a black bear coming towards me, I panicked and I was trying to go as fast as I could. The next thing I know, I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus and when I woke up the bear was on top of me.”

Alexander said: “As soon as I saw the bear, I thought I was going to die. When I opened my eyes, I was on my back and the bear was literally face-to-face with me. I could smell its breath, the bear was slobbering on me, it was looking at me like I was dessert. One of his legs was on my leg and another one of his paws was on my chest. If I had lifted up my head a little bit, I would have kissed the bear dead on its mouth because of how close it was.”

Alexander said: “I was yelling in my head ‘Please get up, run Alex, because you’re about to die’, that’s all I kept saying to myself. I tried to move but I couldn’t because I didn’t know my whole left side was broken. It was big. I’m 286 lbs and 6ft 1in and it was bigger and longer than me, it looked like a Mini Cooper car.”

Alexander said: “As soon as the saliva from the bear started hitting my face I started praying. I was like ‘Lord please let me get back to my kids’.

“That’s when the truck came out of nowhere and started beeping the horn. I heard the guy yelling and then all I heard was beeping and the bear took off running. The truck driver saved my life.”

Alexander said: “It took me a month to get out my room, I was having nightmares. It just messed up my whole life, it’s put me so behind and I lost a lot because of it. But I thank God that I’m still alive because there’s not a lot of people who can say that they were attacked by a bear and still walked away from it.”

Alexander said: “I’m scared, my heart races and I have flashbacks. It’s something that I’m trying to get used to I guess, I’m trying to face my fears. My colleagues say that the bear has been running around, it literally brings tears to my eyes.”

Alexander said: “It was rough because I was the head of the household, I was the one making all the money and paying all the bills. We’re still trying to get out of the dirt right now. I lost my vehicle, I lost a lot of things, I’m just trying to be grateful that I’m still alive.

“Thank God my sister came with food because we went without food and everything. I’d already lost my car and I was about to lose my place so that’s the main reason why I did it [set up the fundraiser] – not only for me, it was more for my kids. I’ve emailed everybody back that donated and thanked them very much, it’s helped.”

Orange County Police have been approached for comment.

Donate to Alexander’s GoFundMe page here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-alex-recover-from-bear-attack-injuries