A woman from Arizona who was gored by a bison in Yellowstone National Park and endured fractured vertebrae and collapsed lungs, gave an affirmative response to her boyfriend’s marriage proposal in the hospital.
Amber Harris and Chris Whitehill, both from the Phoenix area, were on a vacation in the park when they had a fateful encounter with a bison. Whitehill had originally planned to propose to Harris during their trip, but the incident occurred before he could do so.
The couple had walked through a field to Yellowstone Lake in Wyoming after having coffee at a lodge. They noticed two bison in the vicinity, one of which started running towards them. Harris was struck head-on by the bison and was thrown into the air, landing on her back.
After being airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Harris was recovering from her injuries when Whitehill proposed by her hospital bed. Harris readily accepted the proposal, as shared in a Facebook post that included a photo of the engagement ring.
Whitehill has since started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover Harris’ medical bills, and he informed donors that although Harris will not require surgery, she will have to wear a back brace to immobilize her spine.
This was the first bison attack in Yellowstone in over a year, according to park officials.