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Rescued from lion's clutches by a pen
A 65-year-old Californian woman saved her husband's life by clubbing an attacking mountain lion with a small log and his pen.
- AP
- Published: 00:00 January 27, 2007
- Nell Hamm with Jim at the intensive care unit of a California hospital.
- Image Credit: AP
San Francisco: A 65-year-old Californian woman saved her husband's life by clubbing an attacking mountain lion with a small log and his pen.
Jim and Nell Hamm, who'll celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary next month, were hiking in Prairie Creek Redwoods park when the lion pounced, officials said.
"He didn't scream. It was a horrible plea for help ... I turned around, and by then the cat had wrestled Jim to the ground," Nell said from the hospital where Jim was recovering from a torn scalp, puncture wounds and other injuries.
After the attack, game wardens closed the park and released hounds to track the lion. They later shot and killed a pair of lions found near the site of the attack.
The hiking couple had never seen a mountain lion before Jim, 70, was mauled, his wife said. Nell said she grabbed a 10cm-wide log and beat the animal with it, but it would not release its hold on her husband's head.
Jim said, 'I've got a pen in my pocket and get the pen and jab him in the eye," she said. "So I got the pen and tried to put it in his eye."
The lion eventually let go and, with blood on its snout, stood staring at the woman. Nell screamed and waved the log until the animal walked away.
"She saved his life, there is no doubt about it," said Steve Martarano, a spokesman for the Department of Fish and Game.
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