The Elusive Legend of the Cocaine Bear: Unveiling the Untold Story

Summary

The 2023 horror comedy Cocaine Bear is based on the real-life story of a bear that consumed cocaine in 1985.

The taxidermied Cocaine Bear is currently exhibited in Kentucky, having acquired its unusual background through theft, sale, and multiple changes in ownership.

Fans of the horror comedy film Cocaine Bear (2023) now have the opportunity to witness the true events that inspired it, despite the animal's demise in 1985. Cocaine Bear, a loosely based retelling of the 1985 Cocaine Bear incident, has surprisingly gained popularity within its niche audience. Additionally, its availability on streaming platforms in August has contributed to a renewed interest in the film.

Initially, Cocaine Bear remains grounded in reality, depicting the events surrounding drug smuggler Andrew C. Thornton's fatal fall from a plane, which led to a black bear ingesting the dropped cocaine. However, the film takes a fantastical turn when the bear becomes aggressive and embarks on a violent killing spree. Consequently, Cocaine Bear has sparked a heightened fascination with the bear, playfully nicknamed Pablo Eskobear. Despite having passed away in 1985, the real-life Cocaine Bear's legacy lives on through the efforts of an organization known as Kentucky for Kentucky.

The Real Cocaine Bear Is Stuffed & On Display In Kentucky

Cocaine Bear Went On A Long, Strange Journey After His Death In 1985

The real Cocaine Bear is currently on exhibit at the Kentucky for Kentucky's Fun Mall in Lexington, Kentucky. Unlike its portrayal in the movie, the actual Cocaine Bear did not cause harm to anyone. Instead, the bear was discovered deceased, surrounded by 40 opened containers containing traces of cocaine. It is estimated that the bear ingested approximately 3-4 grams of the substance, resulting in its demise (as reported by National Geographic). According to Kentucky for Kentucky's account, the bear's stomach was described by the medical examiner who conducted the necropsy as "filled to the brim with cocaine," indicating a painful but swift death. Interestingly, it was the medical examiner himself who proposed that the bear be preserved through taxidermy instead of being cremated, leading to its current exhibition at the "Fun Mall."

If the real Cocaine Bear's life story wasn't already exhilarating enough, its posthumous journey in 1985 takes an equally extraordinary turn. The medical examiner reached out to a taxidermy specialist friend, suggesting that the animal should be preserved for eternity as a result of its captivating narrative and impressive physical condition, even after its drug-filled escapades and subsequent necropsy. Once expertly stuffed, the bear was graciously bestowed upon the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) where it found a home on display, its history shrouded in secrecy, until the early 1990s. Beyond that point, the tale takes an even more peculiar twist.

After a wildfire forced CRNRA employees to evacuate, the bear was stolen from temporary storage. Other artifacts were recovered from a nearby pawn shop, but the owner, who claimed to have no knowledge of the bear's history, had already sold it to country musician Waylon Jennings. Jennings intended to give it to his friend, Ron Thompson, who was known as a "trip planner for millionaires visiting Las Vegas" according to Earth.com. Interestingly, both Jennings and Thompson professed ignorance about the bear's backstory, despite its possible connections to Andrew C. Thornton, as mentioned by Kentucky for Kentucky.

Following Thompson's death in 2009, his estate auctioned off the bear, and it ended up in the possession of Zhu T'Ang and his wife. The couple displayed the bear in their shop, unaware of its origins. T'Ang's wife willingly handed it over to Kentucky for Kentucky for safekeeping. Although the bear now resides at the Kentucky Fun Mall, given its tumultuous past, it remains uncertain where the real Cocaine Bear might eventually find itself.

Sources: Earth.com, Kentucky for Kentucky, National Geographic