Before the bear, with a degree in natural history from Arizona‚’s Prescott College, I’d landed the most challenging and rewarding job I’d ever had, taking severely emotionally disturbed children on recreational outings for Alaska Children’s Services. After the bear, I got a master’s degree in social work from the University of Alaska-Anchorage. I’m now director of therapeutic foster care for Denali Family Services, the largest therapeutic foster-care provider in the state. My wife, Amber Takavitz Bigley, and our two young children, Alden and Acacia, live in Anchorage, Alaska.