The University of Alaska Southeast assistant professor who was mauled by a bear Monday may be getting out of the hospital within two weeks.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Forest Wagner remains in serious condition, said Anchorage’s Providence Alaska Medical Center spokesperson Mikal Canfield. On Tuesday, Wagner’s medical status had improved from critical to serious.
Wagner has declined to give any media interviews, but he released this statement around noon Wednesday that Canfield passed onto UAS:
“Hi everyone! Thanks for your outpouring of support. I am in stable condition at Providence Hospital in Anchorage. I expect to be here for 10-14 days. I love you all very much and will update as my condition improves.”
Canfield said “stable” is Wagner’s word to describe how he’s feeling, and isn’t a word used by the hospital to describe patients. The hospital only uses the words, “good,” “fair,” “serious” or “critical.”
• Contact reporter Lisa Phu at 523-2246 or lisa.phu@juneauempire.com.
