A 19-year-old from the UK was left fighting for life after being attacked by a bison in the USA. Amelia Dean, 19, known as Mia, was launched 15ft into the air and was left with a punctured artery in the attack in South Dakota.
Her friend managed to lead the animal away and call for an ambulance. Amelia's parents said: "We are beyond fortunate that our daughter is still breathing, as she should have bled out in two to eight minutes after the severed artery and the ambulance didn’t arrive for 20 minutes.
"It is a miracle that she is alive today. We believe that God put a veil of protection over Mia."
Mia and her friend were on the trip of a lifetime across the US and were walking along a trail in Custer State Park when they met the bison., reports The Mirror.
It suddenly turned and began charging from around 100 yards away. Amelia's father Matthew explained: "Mia was shocked into stillness, the bison halting directly in front of her.
"The two stared at each other for a few seconds before the bison surged forwards, gorging her in the left thigh with his horn."
The attack also caused extensive damage to the nerves in her leg. Doctors were able to save her leg, but it is now paralysed from the knee down.
The keen dancer faces more surgery in the future and she is unable to move her foot. The family has launched a GoFundMe page as Mia's insurance company has so far covered just a fraction of the £140,000 required.
Her page reads: "Rapid City Hospital, despite their amazing work on Mia’s injury does not have the expertise nor equipment to properly examine and treat the nerve injury.
"Mayo Clinic, a world-class hospital in the peripheral nerve field (a very niche field), has accepted Mia as a referral from Rapid City Hospital. This could be Mia’s best chance to regain control of her foot, and time is running out."
Mia said: "Travel and explore and have fun. This is a freak accident this isn’t going to happen every time somebody walks in a park. Hopefully."
