DIAMOND BAR, Calif. (KTLA) — A Southern California man and his three dogs were attacked by a swarm of thousands of bees in his backyard on Saturday.

Bob Ramos said the bees were in “attack mode.” The dogs tore through a screen door of his Diamond Bar home trying to get away from the bees and into the house.

“I keep trying to convince myself that I did … I did everything I could do,” Ramos, a former Los Angeles Police Officer, said while breaking down in tears.

Ramos said he was stung more than 40 times while trying to save the dogs. The bees made their way under a towel he had over his head and stung him in the ears and face.

Ramos and his chocolate Lab, Rolo, survived the bee attack, but his daughter’s two small dogs did not.