An American man is lucky to be alive after coming face to face with a grizzly bear.
Rudy Noorlander has spent weeks at the University of Utah Health hospital in Salt Lake City after he was attacked by a grizzly in neighboring Montana.
He was in Custer Gallatin National Forest near Big Sky helping hunters locate a deer they thought they had killed.
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According to the 61-year-old's GoFundMe page, he didn't find the deer, but instead came across a grizzly bear.
"Instinctively, he pulled out his firearm in hopes of scaring away the grizzly but before he could even have time to react, a different 10 foot tall and far more aggressive bear was on him," his daughter wrote on the fundraising campaign.
"Rudy aimed his gun at the bear but his firearm misfired, making his best choice of defense his fists as he did not have any time to get his bear spray from the front of his holster.
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"As the bear lunged the only thing Rudy could do was punch the bear in hopes of slowing it down.
"Unfortunately it did not, and after the first punch the grizzly was on top of Rudy."
The animal left a huge scratch down Rudy's chest and bit into his arms and legs.
The bear then bit down onto the man's face and ripped off his lower jaw.
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The hunters who Rudy was helping ran to his aid and scared off the bear before calling emergency services.
He was rushed to hospital and has been receiving treatment for the last five weeks.
According to CNN, he's undergone three separate surgeries to correct his missing lower jaw.
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Rudy spoke to the media at a press conference and he had to answer questions using a whiteboard and pen.
He jokingly told the room: "I will win round two."
That's a bold and epic response.
His daughter added: "I would like for him to not do that!"
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Rudy is expected to be discharged from hospital this week and he can finally rejoin his family in Montana.
He said: "Soon, I’m going to be a free-range chicken and won’t be hooked up to anything."
More than $64,000 was raised for the Navy veteran so he could receive the life-saving and reconstructive surgeries.
Rudy's surgeon, Dr. Hilary McCrary, expects him to make a full recovery but he'll have to work hard to regain control of his mouth to speak and eat.
Stewart Perrie