Kyle and my daughter Bethany had been dating for a few months when he began looking at engagement rings. Kyle didn’t know when or where he would spring the surprise proposal, only that he was ready to take the next step in commitment.
Kyle was reared in Nelchina and worked in the Arctic oilfields of Prudhoe Bay. Bethany had been raised in the Anchorage area and worked in an office for a security firm. Their worlds couldn’t be further apart, but often different becomes part of the attraction.
Bethany was previously married and given birth to a sweet baby girl born to that union in 2002.
But Kasydi was born “terminal” with severe Pulmonary stenosis, and not expected to live more than a couple months. As she grew, more medical interventions became available. A few days before her first birthday, she underwent surgery to implant stints and relieve pressure on the heart. She passed away on the operating table. Kasydi was cremated, and her ashes remained with Bethany.
There came a day while they were dating when Bethany asked Kyle if he knew of a beautiful place where she could spread her daughter’s ashes. He told her he knew the perfect place. It was then Kyle realized it was also the ideal place and time to propose marriage to Bethany.
On June fifth, in 2009, the two love birds made the trip to Kyle’s family’s residence in Nelchina. Trusting Kyle’s judgment, Bethany brought Kasydi’s ashes to spread in a place she had yet to see.
With permission to use his father’s four-wheeler, they headed up the steep slope of Syncline Mountain to a summit that offered a breathtaking view of the valley and Matanuska Glacier. Across from the summit stood the Chugach Mountains and to the east was the Wrangell’s. Kyle remembers how quiet Bethany had been on the ride up. She wore sunglasses to hide the tears running down her cheeks. On the summit, Bethany mustered up her strength and released the ashes into a mild breeze scattering them over the mountain, where they drifted to their final resting place.
Kyle and Bethany held each other and leaned against the four-wheeler. The sun hovered above the horizon, not wanting to set in the Alaska summer.
Kyle had all these things in his head that he wanted to say to her. Calling upon his strength; trembling, he dropped to one knee, and said, “With every ending comes a new beginning and I want to start a new beginning with you.” Following his opening line, Kyle removed a discreetly hidden black velvet box and opened it, displaying the engagement ring as he popped the question.
Bethany sprang tears again as she pulled him to his feet and threw her arms around his neck. She whispered, “Yes,” and rewarded him with a kiss. A moment later, they sealed their engagement with a long-slow-passionate kiss.
Kyle had packed some bubbly drinks in his backpack to celebrate the occasion. They found a comfortable spot to sit and reflect on all the things leading to the magical moment. As they enjoyed the view and each other’s company, something caught Kyle’s attention. He looked over his shoulder and about seventy yards away was a grizzly bear heading in their direction.
Kyle, having been raised in the area, was taught never to go into the wilds of Alaska without a gun. He quickly grabbed his new fiancé and headed for the four-wheeler. He pulled the .338 caliber Winchester Magnum from the sheath while trying to get Bethany onto the four-wheeler and have her start it. As the bear drew closer, it became more aggressive.
The bear coughed and began clicking his teeth, a couple of seconds later he started his charge. The four-wheeler still hadn’t started. There was no way to outrun the bear at this point. All Kyle could think about was getting Bethany to safety. Instinctively, he shouldered his rifle, guided the crosshairs to its mark, and squeezed the trigger. Grizzly bears drop their heads low during a charge, as did this bear, allowing Kyle’s first shot to hit the bear in the back. As the bear reacted to the shooting, Kyle sent another bullet down range with a perfect broadside shot.
He could see the bear tearing up the ground as he clawed the earth trying to stay upright. Kyle shot once more; however, he missed his mark as the bear went off balance and fell over the ridge, rolling a couple feet before stopping.
Kyle’s rifle was now empty. He was torn between making a run for it or reloading. The bear didn’t look like he was going anywhere, so he turned to get onto the wheeler. To his surprise, Bethany was not on the four-wheeler but was standing beside him taking pictures.
Pictures later revealed she had taken photos on either side of Kyle while he was firing and captured in one photograph the moment he ran out of bullets.
Convinced the bear was no longer a threat to chase them, Kyle and Bethany straddled the four-wheeler and headed down the mountain. Halfway down, he called his dad on his cellphone and asked if he wanted to help skin a bear.
At the bottom of the mountain, Kyle’s family members were waiting with rifles and four-wheelers. Back up the steep incline they drove. The entourage was scanning the area to see if the wounded bear was still alive. Kyle spotted him on an outcropping, a few feet below the summit, near a sheer drop-off. As they watched, there were no signs of life. Kyle made his way over to the bear and confirmed he was dead. With the aid of the four-wheeler winches, they dragged the bear back to the summit. Kyle was proud that his second shot was a perfect lung shot that sealed the bear’s fate.
Three weeks later, on June twenty-fifth, 2009. The Copper River Record ran an article entitled, “Marriage Proposal Featured Charging Grizzly.” Months later, I was honored to officiate the wedding of Kyle and Bethany. Rethinking their plans to tie the knot in Hawaii, they, instead, chose a uniquely Alaska place that held a deeply personal experience. The spot the Grizzly bear charged them.
Thirty or more people drove and rode to the summit on four-wheelers for the service. Two men stood guard on either side of the wedding party with rifles slung on their shoulders. A truly Alaskan event.