WHAT’S THAT? Couple has a close encounter with a black bear

By Dominga Murray

Click here for updates on this story

    NAPLES, Florida (WFTX) — A Naples couple sitting out on their porch had the most unexpected company. A bear came up to their bushes just about a foot away from them.

Meredith and Blake Helgren live in Collier County. They spent last Friday night on their rocking chairs.

“I heard kind of like heavy breathing and a rustling coming up our walkway,” Meredith said.

It’s the first time the family has ever seen one so close.

“I think he was probably about 500 or 600 pounds… about 6 feet long. I don’t know how wide from the angle I was looking at him,” Blake said.

When the bear noticed them on the porch he hissed at them.

“They are more interested in trash or finding food and so we’ve seen a lot of them just kind of walking uninterested [in people],” Meredith said.

The family says, now they have an interesting story to tell and they’re thankful they were not hurt.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.