Family says bear attack victim to be transferred to hospice care

Family says bear attack victim to be transferred to hospice care 
KNWA/KFTA FOX-24, Little Rock, AR; by Justin Trobaugh; 9/9/25 
The family of a Franklin County man says Sept. 8 that his condition has worsened and that he has been moved to hospice care. Vernon Patton, 72, is being held at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences after being attacked by a bear in the Mulberry Mountain area of Franklin County on Sept. 3. Patton was working on a gravel road with his tractor near Mulberry Mountain Lodge Park when the black bear attacked, according to Keith Stephens with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC). His son arrived to check on him and saw the bear actively attacking. 
Editor's Note: Executive leaders, when traumatic events like this lead to a hospice admission, your teams may need extra support. Your direct care staff and volunteers can experience secondary trauma as they care for horrific wounds—physical for the patient and emotional for family and friends. Important: review your policies on balancing community news with family privacy, including how staff and volunteers engage on social media.