Bears are recognized for being savage and terrifying, yet they also have a gentle side. This is exemplified in the image below, where a man and a black bear have formed a strong, unique bond.

Over the years, the mother bear has visited Patrick Conley frequently, and she once brought her baby cubs to meet him! Patrick is from Asheville, North Carolina, where black bears are numerous and well-known for being kind to people.

The bear population in this portion of the United States is on the rise, thanks in part to bears’ adaptation to living among people. Simone the mama bear steps out of the trees to say hi, as you can see in the video.

This is a common event for Patrick, its nothing out of the norm. She did, however, bring her first litter of cubs to meet him this time. When he spotted the gorgeous family of cubs plodding along behind the mama cub, he just couldn’t believe his own eyes.

‘The cubs are the sweetest creatures to ever roam these woods, but then again, I’m kind of biased,’ he added on the video’s caption. Patrick already had a deep friendship with Simone, so meeting the cubs was like meeting a new family member for him.

But finally, all three of them appear on Patrick’s porch to meet him, and he is naturally taken aback. A bear, who is often feared, is so friendly with Patrick, a human, and so trusting of him that he is meeting her delicate newborns. Amazing!

Simone trails behind the cubs as they sprint to the next tree to climb and play. They are still adapting to their new environment.

Simone signals it’s time to leave after some exploring, climbing, and fooling about, and the three disappears into the forest. Simone appeared to be well-fed and in good health, according to Patrick.

See the full video of the encounter below: