Dan Becker

I make videos. I’m occasionally funny. And I like to camp and go backpacking.

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

On a crisp January afternoon in 2004, avid mountain biker Anne Hjelle set out for a quick ride on familiar trails in Southern California’s Whiting Ranch Wilderness. What began as an ordinary ride turned into a life-and-death struggle when a 100-plus-pound mountain lion burst from the brush and tackled her off her bike, attacking her neck and face with overwhelming force.
Anne’s friend Debi Nicholls wasn’t going to let her go without a fight — throwing herself into the struggle, grabbing Anne’s legs, and screaming for help. Other riders soon arrived and began hurling rocks, eventually driving the predator off. Anne survived, but barely — her injuries were catastrophic, and surgeons had to rebuild the left side of her face in hours of reconstructive surgery.
In this deeply human conversation, Anne shares what it was like inside the attack, how she managed fear and survival in the moment, her long recovery, and how that day changed her view of life, resilience, and getting back on the trail — forever transformed but stronger for it.
This is a story of survival, friendship, and the raw realities of facing nature’s wildest moments.

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

Savannah Barney was leading a group of teenagers on what should have been a routine canyoneering trip in Utah — until the unthinkable happened. While anchored to a massive boulder at the canyon’s edge, the rock suddenly tore loose and pivoted upward, ripping her off the rim and sending her plunging nearly 30 feet into the slot below.
She landed face-first on solid rock.
The impact snapped her body backward so violently it shattered her spine, instantly paralyzing her before anyone in her group had even entered the canyon.
In a single second, the experienced outdoor leader became the one fighting for survival — trapped, unable to move, deep in a remote canyon with a group of teens depending on her.
This is the story of the fall, the rescue, and what it takes to rebuild a life when everything changes in an instant. Watch the full podcast interview on my YouTube channel and also on Spotify.

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

Tyler Johnson was deep in the backcountry when everything went wrong. Without warning, a bear charged and slammed into him, knocking him to the ground before he even knew what was happening. In the chaos of the attack, Tyler reached for his firearm to defend himself and accidentally shot his own leg. Severely injured, alone, and miles from help, he now had to survive the wilderness, massive blood loss, and the shock of what had just happened. This is the moment his hunting trip turned into a fight to stay alive. Full podcast interview on my YouTube channel and Spotify

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

Right before her senior year of high school, Emily Brough went bouldering with friends and found herself stranded 40 feet above the ground with no way down except to jump. When her friend barely made it to the water below after a full running start, Emily tried to follow—but hesitated. That moment sent her crashing onto lava rock, shattering her pelvis and breaking her arm and foot. Surgeons later rebuilt her pelvis using 68 metal pins. Emily spent her entire senior year in a wheelchair, semi-paralyzed, facing a future that suddenly looked nothing like the one she had planned. In this episode, Emily describes what went through her mind during the fall, what recovery demanded physically and mentally, and how she rebuilt her life after surviving an accident that should have killed her. Ten years later, she reflects on how a few seconds in the air changed everything—and what it really means to survive. Watch her full podcast on my YouTube channel or Spotify.

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

Rudy Noorlander survived a grizzly bear attack that destroyed much of his jaw. The injuries required extensive reconstruction, and he now lives with a rebuilt jaw that reminds him every day of what happened. In this clip, Rudy shows what that reconstruction looks like and talks about the reality of surviving a grizzly attack — not just the moment itself, but the long recovery afterward. His story isn’t about shock value. It’s about what it actually takes to keep going after something like this. Watch the full interview on my YouTube channel or Spotify. Just search ‘Dan Becker’

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

Keri Bergere describes what it felt like to be inside the jaws of a cougar. After being tackled off her mountain bike in the Washington wilderness, she remembers the pressure, the fear, and the fight to stay conscious while the animal clamped onto her face. With four other riders trying to pull the cougar away, Keri’s survival came down to seconds, instinct, and sheer will. This is her perspective — in her own words — from inside the attack. Watch the full interview on my YouTube channel > Dan Becker.

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

In February of 2024, 5 competitive gravel cyclists were ambushed by 2 cougars in Washington State while biking. They fought for their lives for 55 minutes and finally killed the cougar by using wit and smarts. In this reel, Keri walks through when she saw the cougar leap out of nowhere and grab her by the face. Watch the full incredible video of my interview with these brave women on my YouTube channel > Dan Becker

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

This is my in-studio interview with Tami Ennis. In the early 1980’s she survived being shipwrecked in the ocean with 3 friends, swimming 9 miles back to shore in shark infested waters, and witnessed one of her friends get eaten by sharks on the swim back. Watch the full podcast interview on my YouTube and Spotify > Dan Becker

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

Rudy Noorlander suffered a brutal grizzly mauling when the bear lifted him up by the jaw, ripped it off, and nearly his life. Rudy tells the full story of the attack, the aftermath, and what it’s like living after a grizzly bear mauling. This is a raw, honest conversation about survival, recovery, and respect for the wilderness. Find the full interview on Spotify or my YouTube channel > Dan Becker

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

Living after a grizzly ripped his jaw off..

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

He tried to feed the bear after the selfie.. it didn’t go well https://t.co/jOQDAvtk9h

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

The squirrel never stood a chance 😂

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

Flat earthers aren’t gonna like this..

[SpaceX @SpaceX]

First views of Earth's polar regions from Dragon

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

Listen to "The 911 call you have to hear to believe" by Dan Becker. https://t.co/Atci3PcpwU

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

This is the most amazing interview I have ever done. Jeremy Evans was mauled 3 times by a grizzly over 30 minutes as he was 9 miles into the mountains. Had his entire face ripped off. He miraculously found pieces of his own face and head and hiked 9 miles back to his truck. He then drove 15 miles (having to hold up his only good eye that was hanging out of its eye socket) to help. It's one of the most inspiring stories of survival you'll ever hear.

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, but I've somehow ended up in a text group with 5 people who've survived grizzly bear attacks. I mean, what are the chances? About as good as me actually getting attacked by a grizzly, I'd say #BearAttackSurvivors #OnlyInMyLife #SurvivorStories

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

🚨My backpacking course now has gift cards for you last minute gift givers! 👉https://t.co/EAdusbkxqU

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

@netflix x needs to hire a new IT guy lol

[Dan Becker @DanBeckerYT]

At least the buffer gets me time to pee