IF he had a handgun, he might have survived, but not likely
Having shot several bears with hand guns killing them all I find handguns to be every effective. The antis don’t like them because it shows them to be useful and it kills the bear.
Convince people handguns are not a effective tool then there is less reason to own one.
The dead man was asleep when attacked, so the question is, were you asleep when any of those bears woke you up and you shot them? Since his fiancée heard nothing, the bear must have been upon him before he could even yell.
It is one thing to be awake and aware, and able to aim your gun, it is quite another to waken with a bear six inches from your face or, biting your throat. I imagine that even finding your gun could be a challenge at that point.
The point is not whether handguns are a good thing or bad but if the dead man could have even got off a shot, if he had a handgun. THAT is highly unlikely.