In Memory of Bear 402

[@gfc_in_the_oh9067]

This was a very hard season. We have the bears that we will never know why they did not come back, and the ones that we know why they will not be back. All will be missed.

[@KatyWithAWhyyy]

It really was rough. I've only been watching 4 years but this was the roughest so far from me. Took a step back after Grazers little one only to tune back in inadvertently right before the attack on 402. And sweet Otis not being here along with many others like you said. Whew.

[@fenrislyulf8861]

I actually had to limit my time watching them all this year, after Grazer's cub died. I'm glad I did not see the incident involving 402. I realize these things happen in nature but I don't have the space for it right now.

[@jeanbeanofthewoods6258]

It was a difficult season. It’s so easy to fall in love with each and every one of them.

[@HS-ob3fz]

relax and stop humanizing bear and ruining this for others, this is so cringy

[@tamarahorn7280]

​@@HS-ob3fzI understand,but some of us Humans can't help but humanize animals.Is it a. flaw? A way to connect. I don't know. Human Nature. yes . Just like telling others how to feel about watching the Bears. Human Nature?

[@AnneDougherty]

Such a beautiful tribute. Thank you for taking the time to put this together. RIP 402. May the salmon always be plentiful

[@alithorstad6206]

Well said Mike. Cried like a baby the whole way through, but well said. I found Otis and the rest of the crew during the pandemic and my own health struggles. This has been a rough year on many fronts. Thank you for giving 402 the dignity and respect she deserves.

[@M209T]

❤️

[@mavisbracelin5032]

❤😂🎉😢😮😅😊 0:13

[@haroldhubbard1643]

Hello world hello Mike and hello whomever posted this it is well things said I'm an ex-marine two tours in Afghanistan and I have watched this bear grow as much as I grew and I am so sorry I cried my heart out, I'm so sorry.. I grew with the spare and I'm so sorry I will miss this bear I hope to see her children and for me to Glow because I did two tours in Afghanistan watching this bear grow so thank you Mike just saying it so well and the person that wrote this comment 2016 that I'm doing a reply to rest in peace 402. I will miss this mother bear😢😊❤😂

[@cheryllauerman2425]

My heart breaks 💔 for 402. U wonder how this can happen out of the blue after all these yrs. RIP beautiful mama bear 402. U will always be missed!❤️

[@markensworth6591]

💔💔💔🙏🙏🙏

[@margotchurchill5593]

What a beautiful tribute to her.😢

[@toanlee8968]

Her death is the saddest this year

[@sunnyndelaware6159]

RIP 402, you will be missed by many! ❤️💔

[@michaelcourtney3888]

We Are going to miss you mama bear. Your legacy will go on forever. Goodbye for now 402

[@charm3633]

Her little bears were so sweet. Four at a time is impressive! RIP bear 402 🐻

[@arteech0kee]

Mike Fitz knows exactly what to say. Rest easy, Momma 402 🙏 you were a beautiful, big sow whose legacy still stays in Brook's River ❤

[@cherylwieser307]

RIP 402, you will be missed mama bear❤️

[@takeitontherun5984]

Mike -- can I say in behalf of us all....we needed this. THANK YOU for your 402 Tribute ! With the days that have gone by since her passing, we all needed to hear your thoughts and from your perspective about 402. As usual, your words are elegant & eloquent...wise & thoughtful. And your words give 402 the dignity she deserves as the Queen of Bears on the river. You are right, many of her skills were nearly unmatched. I'm sure the video wasn't easy to put together with the music, pictures & video, and especially you're well-timed kind & wise words. You are SPOT ON about reminding us about how "life is short...and precious" - and we should reflect on what to learn from that. Because none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. My own parents died separately this past year in rapid unexpected ways -- and I turned to Brooks River for my "Therapy". I loved watching 402 and even her graciousness of giving away fish. Unfortunately, 402's passing hurt so much -- BUT THEN..your tribute video is so beautiful, and your words are so compelling....the pain of losing someone special in our families, (yes, even a gorgeous & favorite bear) is just a little easier to take. I may have to watch this several times to process not only remembering 402's impact to my regaining "balance" this year after all of my loss -- and gaining joy from her (we watched her for hours), but processing how Happy of a bear she was while she was alive (even with all the struggles). Honestly, we can learn from majestic animals & we all need to be more like her. Enjoy life while you can....it is such a gift. Thank you, my friend .....and Thank You 402 -- Queen of Brooks River bears

[@stephaniecarrow4898]

Condolences to you. 🙏 Hoping you find continued solace in healing nature and loving friends.

[@takeitontherun5984]

@@stephaniecarrow4898 Thank you, Stephanie.....as they say, "time heals all wounds". This summer was REALLY hard in reflection about how fast love ones can leave us -- (I'll never be over it) but 402, Grazer, 856, and many others of the sub-adult bears really helped me. Watching them for hours in the afternoons really helped the pain get a little better....brought smiles & even laughter at times. Regarding 402, I was so upset about when & how it happened....but now I'm reflecting on her life accomplishments instead of the shock of her passing. It's actually remarkable she was such a good mom for so many years in that wild dangerous wilderness. Truly a testament to her bravery and her strength.

[@Frankieb_22]

Rest in peace 402 beloved mama bear 🤎🤎

[@JaneKibbey]

Thank you for this post of 402. 😢 this has been a tough year with some bears not returning. The loss of 402 and no Otis has really been hard. Thank you for the work you do. ❤

[@mangopie13]

Thank you for making this beautiful tribute to 402, our biggest sow of Brooks falls, one of the most hardworking and loving mama bears. Us humans have been so lucky to be graced with your presence through the live cameras. I hope you can now feel safe and comfortable to cuddle with your angel cubs who waited for you over the rainbow bridge, all while you smiled down at your love 856, babies 503, 101, hedgie and many more, blessing them with all the success to carry on your legacy. ❤️‍🩹 We love you and will always miss you mama 402, rest in peace 🕯️

[@aawolvea]

Rest in Peace

[@patriciadumais2814]

“The life of a wild animal always has a tragic end.” - Ernest Thompson Seton

[@psycho4agY]

I still can’t believe she’s really gone. It’s amazing that we were able to follow her thru her entire life. ❤❤❤ It’s been quite touching to see 856 even grieved for her. ❤

[@Chieftainful]

So touching. Thank you for honoring her with compassion and acceptance. Her death reminds us all how life is but a filament.

[@girlboss7807]

❤️✨❤️🐻 We Celebrate 402's success and her precious offsprings forever!!!! 🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸💫

[@suzieq4007]

RIP Bear 402, your legacy lives on through all your cubs...

[@JohnMacFergus-oz5cp]

Any passing of any life is important. She was a good mama and contributed to the cycle of life. See you in the happy hunting grounds 402!

[@cy0967]

Rest in paradise 402. ❣️ (here comes the tears 😭)

[@lurleenmonteleone5119]

Thank you for remembering her and educating us on the lives of bears in the wild. May the eternal river and falls welcome your soul Mama 402 💔😥

[@Summit1962]

Beautiful 402❤. I miss you. Rest in peace 😢🐻💔🌈

[@djwaco2623]

Thanks for such an informative and sensitive tribute. It’s obviously fulfilling for humans to watch bears living their natural lives. The loss of 402 and one of Grazer’s twins this season were both very emotional for many of us. Back in June, us bear watchers anxiously awaited the return of our favorite bears. We waited all season for Holly and Otis(the bear that got me hooked😎). In October we can only hope that they had great summers somewhere away from the cameras, and look for them again in June. Otis was so skinny when he showed up late last summer, and then he got very fat! But, it looked like he barely made it back. I’m holding out for another season for the King of Katmai…. Thank you 402!😪

[@henrywasserman]

Holding out hope that King Otis has not yet left the building.

[@MaryL2111]

RIP to one of the best Katmai moms, we will surely miss her, she was a beautiful example of how beautiful and loving nature can be ❤

[@honeybee1888]

Thank you. 402 was one of my favs. A hard year of loss. And not really a consolation but she went down fighting - brave and true to her instincts.

[@Southerngrl]

No consolation for sure, and IDW see the fight…but to me it matters if u go down fighting. Tough year at Brook’s Falls. I think we all have missed Otis. But in a way I’m grateful that he just didn’t come back.

[@honeybee1888]

@@Southerngrl Yes, I imagine him going into hibernation, getting comfy in his den and falling into a deep slumber. And the sands of time will close upl his den but we will remember him...always.

[@lindasturm699]

Thank you so much for this beautiful tribute. 402 was one of my favorites. I will miss her. 🐻❤️

[@CorsoLady]

Thank you- especially for speaking to empathy.

[@LilacForest66]

Thank you, Mike, for this beautiful tribute to 402. RIP Beautiful Mama, 💔💙 you will be missed by so many of us. I'm comforted to think you are with your sweet cubs who have gone before you. 🕊🕊🤍🤍🕊🕊

[@crisam8vo]

IDK how you managed to get through that beautiful eulogy without your voice cracking Mike Fitz ❤ I bout boo-hooed the whole time 😢🐻💗🌈🕊

[@Rokstargodis]

Thank you for your respect of these animals and for this piece. Life of any kind is not to be taken for granted. ❤️🐻 Goodbye 402 😢

[@oyuna6035]

The only thing that makes me happy is that she was wild and she died wild, she wasnt surrounded by a cage walls, wasnt abused in inhuman pactics like bear bile farm. 402 was an amazing , gorgeous and prolific momma bear. She is in bear heaven greeted by many other great bears

[@ginrhea65]

Wonderful tribute. The absolute worst thing that has happened since the cams went live. Heartbreaking. Tough, tough year at Brooks that will change the landscape at Brooks forever.

[@siobhandunne4701]

What a beautiful tribute. Give Smalls a hug for us 🐻

[@paulaporter778]

😢

[@Southerngrl]

Right. Bet they’re having smelt roe with Otis n Holly. 😢

[@ashleyruma9591]

Otis, Snare bear, Quilly, Limpy, Smalls, 402/Brooke. They have our hearts.

[@crazydoglady5]

410

[@crazydoglady5]

and Holly...

[@goatlps]

#Beadnose

[@languay1]

What a lovely tribute. Thank you🤎🐻🤎

[@alicia_kira]

Incredible that she returned to the falls every single year. She really was an incredibly prolific bear. Let us all remember her gracefully sliding down the falls to avoid a frisky boar and her 2 decades of successful mothering. She will be missed ❤️‍🩹

[@cujochihuahua5073]

Thank you Mike Fitz 😢❤

[@shannonconnolly563]

i'm going to miss seeing her swim and dive. such a remarkable creature. i hope you are somewhere with holly and otis, enjoying the sun on your face, and the fish in your belly. rest well you beautiful mama.

[@daisybee1439]

Great tribute for 402! Rest in peace sweet 402! Run in heaven with your family and friends sweetie-pie!!😇😇😇

[@BruniMDQ]

RIP Precious great Mamma! We will love you forever ❤

[@taramcbrearty2918]

She was a strong role model for all of us females I admired and adored her and will always think of her when I see my favorite bear 503 ❤

[@glittergrl71]

Miss her so much

[@glittergrl71]

I still miss her so so much

[@daniellet6690]

i’m going to miss her fishing on the lip.RIP beautiful mama.😢💔

[@sparklywater]

i’ll miss you 402 so much. sweet girl

[@MaireTreasa]

What a beautiful tribute! Her memory and legacy will live on through her offspring. 💗

[@imdollyc]

Will miss Mama Bear. RIP

[@violetg7315]

Very heavy heart!!

[@hercule1610]

Beautiful tribute to 402. Rest in peace.

[@React2This]

Never would have imagined her dying in the water, when she was one of the rare diving bears. 😢

[@theck672]

@@React2This - agree, so tragic, shocking

[@superbee-di5tp]

RIP 402. You will be missed but your memory will live on forever.

[@galaxy_mosaic3587]

very poignant words. thanks for helping with the closure of the loss of 402. she was one of the earlier bears I observed on the Brooks Falls cams. I took for granted that she, like many, would be a fixture there. I was very surprised and saddened about her sudden death just a short time after I felt gratefulness that she was still around and looked good at her age... RIP

[@martineinfrance]

RIP beautiful mom ❤ she was a good prolific mom... This year was a sad year to our knowledge with Grazer's cub death. . We don"t know behind the scene what the crualty of nature really is.. . Thank you Mike for your words..

[@danuta2214]

Piękna była❤

[@willyboyw.5771]

Sadness....Well done memorial.

[@CarolSchreiber-v6e]

What a beautiful strong mother bear. She will definitely be missed. I’m sure her cubs are all strong and resilient.

[@MargueriteMcfarland]

Thank you so much for this tribute. It does make me so sad and I'm sure it's much harder on you all. I've learned so much about bears from this~ I'm special ed teacher and I frequently reward my students with the live cam at the falls. They love it. Thank you!

[@Janetbringsawareness]

❤❤❤❤❤ thank you 😊

[@jeminaz5644]

Thank you for helping these animals by educating the public 🙏🙏🙏

[@beckynorton8719]

Awww so sad May she rest in peace and enjoy many salmons in her spiritual world 😞❤️❤️👍

[@CharKellerman]

Thank you for compiling this story of Bear 402. What a treasure she was to all her families she so lovingly Mothered. And she became a treasure to us through these videos as we watched her life unfold. RIP Bear 402....

[@StretchMinnard]

Magnificent Creatures of HIS KINGDOM. THANKS FOR SHARING THIS STORY.

[@avifan59]

Thank you MIke for this video. So sad, what a beautiful life she made, a successful girl!

[@moxiedawn4370]

Oh no! I didn't know this happened. RIP 402.

[@LynneHeslip]

Such a moving and lovely tribute, to a life well lived and loved! Thank you for bringing the lives of these magnificent beings into our living rooms.

[@weRallmagical]

Thank you for this video 💖

[@rogertemple7193]

Sorry to hear about Bear-402 she will be missed R.I.P. B-402. 💓🐻🙏🐻💓

[@blushingviolet5928]

I can't see and learn enough about her!

[@mwmi4]

You will be missed, 402. ❤

[@chrriistiine8735]

So sad 😢😢 nature is harsh sometimes 💔 run free beautiful mama bear 🌈 rest in peace

[@paulaporter778]

I will not watch the video of her death rather see these tributes thank you Mike

[@adriane5496]

402 mama bear rest in a free flowing salmon river forever.

[@cy0967]

The Mother of Bears. ❤️

[@goldensmamma]

RIP 402 💔

[@julesotis13]

awe precious life

[@maximilliancunningham6091]

Thank you for this.

[@Nimuetootoo]

Hard summer for us bear lovers....

[@beachgal1835]

What a nice thing to do for 402. I know the bears live through harsh realities, but it was still sad to see this loss. Your organization does good work. Let's hope we see all the bears back next year.

[@LisetteCoggan-ci1lc]

RIP ❤❤❤❤

[@debdew7125]

Thank you for this lovely tribute. 402 will be truly missed! May she..... 🕊️🥀Rest in Eternal Peace🥀🕊️ 🌈❤️🌈🧡🌈💛🌈💚🌈💙🌈💜

[@MelissaWoodinTx]

That was a beautiful tribute to her. Nature is harsh and there's no way around that. I didn't know this bear as so many others did and I did not see the fight, nor will I watch that video. But I'm grateful for such a beautiful tribute and thank all who care so much about these animals and let us have a brief look into their lives. RIP 402.

[@lenac7352]

Rest in peace Bear 402 ❤

[@ginmill01]

What a wonderful tribute. Appears she was a great Mama Bear

[@odetoplants]

😢😔💔 RIP

[@charliebrown6009]

Mike, thank you and all the staff who share Katmai with us. The tribute is touching & meaningful for so many of us. 🐻❤

[@nopeitsmx]

Rest in peace 402 ❤️

[@dianakotchounian257]

Rest In Peace Sweetheart. I will miss you terribly. 🙏🙏🙏🐻🐻🐻

[@carolcrowe2927]

Very nice tribute to 402. She will be missed. Had a great time watching her for several years. Glad there was a tribute. Have to waitr till next year for all the new cubs. Thank you for the camera woek. RIP 402

[@t.h.8475]

Sweet Momma bear 🐻

[@jopos5082]

Didn’t make it there to see her but she is in my heart thank you explore for this tribute

[@jaxem3846]

🥺 Awww, sad. ❤️

[@seppiluthold5014]

At least she lived a long life. 26 years is very good for a grizzly bear.

[@shirleynitka5030]

so sad. RIP . Hope you're with Otis.

[@michaellehane4800]

May the Gods bless this beautiful lady and all of her kind. Thank you for this wonderful tribute to her and her family. I find it impossible to call her 402, she was a gorgeous sentient being who should’ve had a name. Still, thank you for marking her earth walk, and subsequent passing through the veil.Susan @M.Lehane.🇦🇺💜🕉️💜

[@tedwardbear6795]

When I couldn't walk and get outside she entertained and helped me understand resiliency while watching the YT videos and live cams. RIP Mama Bear 402 🤍

[@nancyvalente3763]

Love you, 402. You will be missed. RIP beautiful lady.❤❤❤

[@BobbieLedbury]

💔 RIP 402

[@Jas-sq5er]

I have paused the tribute, still unable to watch any of our beloved 402 momma bear. Our hearts are broken 💔 😢 they will mend as time pass until next season. Something very special is shared with us all. I will ever be grateful for this privilege to see such beautiful animals in their natural habitat. As we all mourning this years losses, we should see new life after they return from slumber. 402 surely left a legacy behind we all looking forward to next season. In the meantime, as I shed more tears 😢 I give thanks for being part of this beautiful world in front of us with all the Bears ❤❤ 402 forever. Have our hearts 💕 💞 rest in peace, momma bear, ❤😢

[@ОльгаГлазьева-м1ч]

Жаль, очень жаль медведицу