I grew up seeing the cover of Outdoor Life Magazine displaying a giant grizzly standing upright with blood on its fangs and claws swatting a pack of dogs around like they were misquitos. Or just attacking some poor camper, ( in the same grizzly pose of course ). Childhood images can be hard to displace.
I cannot imagine what that poor woman went through walking alone in the dark. I guess some fears have to be met head on.