Casey Anderson, 33, hand-reared Brutus from a cub after he was born into captivity, reports the Daily Telegraph. And the pair have become so close that the 7ft 8ins bear was the obvious choice for best man at his wedding to Hollywood actress, Missi Pyle.
The couple met on the set of the film Pretty Ugly People, in which Missi and Brutus co-starred. Brutus stole the show at the marriage in Swan Valley, Montana, where he ate the wedding cake in front of 85 guests.
The bear was born in 2002 at a rescue centre in Idaho, where he was at risk of being put down because he could not be released into the wild.
Mr Anderson, who worked at the centre, decided to look after him and set up the Montana Grizzly Encounter, near Yellowstone National Park.
He said: “I take him for long walks. I swim with him and I’ve even started teaching him how to fish. I feel like his father in a way – but in reality I’m more of his friend.
“Now I owe him for introducing me to my wife and he was best man at my wedding – he really has changed my life.
“With other bears he plays rough but I’m not scared of him because when I wrestle him he knows he needs to be a lot more gentle.
“He doesn’t want to hurt the people that he loves and I think he does love me after all the years and time we have spent together. He’s my best friend.”
Post published in: News