An evening walk in the woods takes a scary turn for one northern Michigan family.
By Courtney Rehmer
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 11:29 p.m.
Read more: Local, State
It happened just before nine o' clock Sunday evening in a wooded area near Pole Road in Copemish, which is located in Manistee County. Eleven--year-old Alex Birch and his family were driving through the trails when the family says Alex decided to get out of the car and walk ahead, unknown to him that minutes later the unthinkable would happen.
"I started hearing squawking and I knew it was a hawk because I've seen it before”, said Alex Birch. “I wasn't paying any attention to it."
"All I saw was Alex come out of the woods and he was as white as a ghost, “ said April Birch, the boy's mother. “He had his arms back like this, like something was bothering him." Alex's mom said she never heard or saw the eagle, but the pale look on her son's face said it all.
“All I saw when I saw him running was his white face," said Birch. "He was saying that he was attacked by an eagle and he was rubbing the back of his head. He pulled his hand out and it was all blood."
“I didn't know what to think”, said Alex. “I freaked out, it hurt. It felt like someone hit me in the head with a baseball bat. My whole backside was full of blood, my hand was all blood."
Shocked and confused, April said Alex came running toward the car and jumped inside the driver's side window over his grandfather and got into the back. Alex says the attack happened so quickly he barely remembers it, but the scars left behind tell a different story. Alex walked away with a two-inch gash on the back of his head, a mark on his back, and another near his neck where the eagle's claws broke the skin. Luckily, stitches weren't needed.
“I took him straight to the hospital," said Birch. “They've never heard of anything like it, they were pretty surprised."
The word of the attack quickly spread throughout the hospital and for his bravery, the hospital staff hand-made an award for Alex. Alex has brought it with him as he heads back to the very spot where it all happened. This time, believe it or not, Alex says he's not scared.
“I'm not scared anymore," said Alex, “I know I'm safe as long as there's a bunch of people around me."
Alex's mom thinks the eagle attacked because Alex got too close to its nest. While he says he's not frightened by the eagle, Alex says the next time he hits the trails he plans on staying in the car. When out on a hike the family is urging everyone to be aware of their surroundings and to keep a close eye on where they step especially during the spring months.
