Nell Hamm, 65, who clubbed a mountain lion that attacked her husband while they were out hiking.
Nell Hamm said she grabbed a 4-inch-diameter log and beat the animal with it, but it would not release its hold on her husband's head."Jim was talking to me all through this, and he 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, but it didn't want to go in as easy as I thought it would."
When the pen bent and became useless, Nell Hamm went back to using the log. The lion eventually let go and, with blood on its snout, stood staring at the woman. She screamed and waved the log until the animal walked away.
Seriously bad-ass.
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Oh yeah I read that this morning. Awesome!
Great story -- I got tears in my eyes reading, "We fought harder than we ever have to save his life, and we fought together."
Wow. If there's ever a mountain lion eating my head, I hope she's nearby.
Damn. Grandma is hardcore.
I also give props to hubby. If a mountain lion is eating my head, I am *not* remembering the pen in my pocket.
All that said - Nell is 65 and they're celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next month? Did the math and don't like the answer I'm coming up with...
Serph,
Don't even sweat that. A lot of people got married that young back then, I know my grandparents did. And it's only two/three years younger than most people got married back then. And the men were usually very older than the women, my friend in high school, his grandfather was 12 years older than his grand mother and he married her when she was a teen. As time went on and continues to go on, the age of marriage for women gets pushed back, as we're seeing.
But that truly rocks that she saved her husband.
Poor mountain lion. But still, given the situation, utterly awesome.
(OK, yes. I love cats more than people. That is obvious. Glad everybody lived through it.)
rock on, nell hamm.
my boyfriend and i were admiring a mountain lion kitten sunning itself in northern california once for several minutes before we remembered that a mama lion, wherever she was, might not love us staring at her baby.
It reminded me of my own grandmother who, late in her life, somehow managed to defend her poodle against an attacking coyote by whacking at it with a broom. (After pushing herself out into the back yard using her walker. After having had a few strokes.)
And yeah, I sympathize with coyotes in terms of suburban encroachment on their habitats (this was in San Diego), and of course, a poodle is not a spousal unit. (And anyway, I couldn't stand that damned poodle.)
But still! It was pretty awesome that she did that.
Wow. I seriously just almost started crying. What a kickass woman.
Saw the woman on CNN talking about this. She's impressive. Her husband looks terribly mauled and I'm sure very happy to be alive.
I don't think this story "kicks ass" at all! It totally bums me out, actually. Poor old guy, and poor fucking mountain lions! :-(
The willingness and ability to fight off a mountain lion that is gnawing on one's head is not a commonly-cited trait that people look for in a mate, but maybe it should be.
Poor mountain lion. But still, given the situation, utterly awesome.free online games