Gail Mattson had dreamed of going on safari but the 79-year-old’s wish come true ended in tragedy when the truck she was travelling in was attacked by an “aggressive” bull elephant
It was the holiday of a lifetime for gran Gail Mattson as she embarked on a once in a lifetime safari to see the majestic animals she had spent her life wanting to visit.
The 79-year-old from Minnesota had travelled to Zambia to see awe-inspiring elephants, lions and other wildlife. Gail had gone on the incredible trip with a friend and had admitted to loved ones it would be the last big overseas trip she felt she could manage.
She had travelled extensively and loved to see the world, having already visited both Asia and Europe in the past.
But as Gail approached her 80th birthday, with her family back home planning a huge party and celebration for the event, she made the difficult decision that this would be her last trip.
Gail had been described as a “big traveller” by her close friends John Longabaugh and Brenda Biggs, who added that a safari in Africa had “always been on her bucket list”.
On March 30, 2024, Gail embarked on a game drive to see some of the incredible animals which call Zambia home in real life.
The caring church volunteer who loved to play bridge could never have imagined the excursion of a lifetime would end in tragedy.
It was while the group was on the safari that a bull elephant charged at the truck she was travelling in. It was an unexpected attack with the elephant being described as “aggressive”.
Six people were travelling in the truck and four of those on board had to be treated for minor injuries while a fifth was treated in hospital in South Africa. However, Gail suffered harrowing injuries and did not survive the attack, which saw the bull elephant flip the truck.
In a chilling recording of the tragedy, someone can be heard saying “oh my goodness,” and “it’s coming fast”. It is thought the driver stopped the vehicle in a bid to halt the elephant in its track but the bull hooked its horns into the truck and rolled it several times.
CEO of the safari company running the trip, Keith Vincent, explained the terrain made it impossible for the vehicle to get away quickly enough to save Gail.
He explained: “Our guides are all extremely well trained and experienced, but sadly in this instance the terrain and vegetation was such that the guide’s route became blocked and he could not move the vehicle out of harm’s way quickly enough.” id.
In a heartbreaking Facebook post after her mother’s death, Gail’s daughter Rona Wells wrote: “Sadly she lost her life in a tragic accident while on her dream adventure.”
Her son, Blake Vetter, told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis “this is more than about a little old lady that got killed by an elephant. She lived an extraordinary life” while raising two children by herself.
Gail also loved to golf and had worked as a mortgage company loan officer before taking early retirement at 55. She and her son were planning a sky dive when she returned from her dream trip.
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