Bear crashes camping Cool family's anniversary, totals minivan
COOL — A Cool couple's wedding anniversary trip took an unexpected turn when a bear made its way into the family's minivan.
Irik Edens and his wife celebrated thirteen years of marriage on Tuesday with an annual trip to Bass Lake near Yosemite National Park.
After spending time at the lake, Edens went back to his unlocked car to grab a chair, when he encountered an unwanted guest.
"I look through the back window, and I see a silhouette of the bear inside. So I was like, 'That's a... holy hell! There's a bear in our car,' " Edens said.
The bear locked itself in the car and ripped apart the dashboard, panels and wiring.
A park ranger and a California Highway Patrol officer were able to lure the bear out by breaking a window for it to escape, but the damage was done and the car totaled.
"He tore up everything right. All the wiring is pulled apart and the car all the panels are pulled off, the dashboards pulled to pieces, and all the panels of every single door is ripped off so he couldn't open," Edens said.
Despite the bear destroying his car, Edens said this is an anniversary he will never forget.
"I mean, life is about adventure and joy, and if you're missing one of those, you're not living life, right?" Edens said.
The family is from the El Dorado County community of Cool.