Larry Yepez & Benji. (CBS AFFILIATE KGPE)
Larry Yepez stepped out the backdoor of his Midpines, California home around 4 AM and suddenly found himself face-to-face with a 250-pound bear. Despite yelling for the bear to leave, the animal continued to approach him. Larry, a former Marine who was awarded the Purple Heart for his time in Vietnam, knew he was about to be in a fight for his life.
Larry made a second attempt to scare away the bear, grabbing and hitting the animal with a plastic pot filled with dirt. But the bear continued to attack, biting down on the man's wrist and clawing at him.
Still attempting to fight he bear off, Larry continued to hit and kick at the animal until an unlikely ally stepped in.
Benji, Larry's 10-pound Yorkshire Terrier, barked at and attacked the bear, causing it to release the man's wrist from its jaws. While the bear was busy swatting at Benji, Larry got up from the ground and ran back inside his house, followed quickly by Benji.
"He distracted that bear long enough that I could stand up on my feet and get out of there. In that sense, he was the hero. He saved me," Larry said of his pint-sized savior.
Despite his injuries, Larry drove himself to the hospital and was treated for multiple wounds all over his body.
"I realize I'm a lucky human being," said Larry.