PHOENIX — It was supposed to be a nice getaway to Yellowstone National Park for Chris Whitehill and his fiancée Amber Rogers.
“Escaping the grind of our lives. Escaping to beautiful country to enjoy and apparently God had other plans,” said Chris Whitehill.
Just 12 hours into their vacation earlier this week, they were enjoying their morning coffee and the scenic wildlife outside their lodge. But then they got an encounter they weren't expecting.
“When we were walking down, we spotted one bison 25/30 yards away and he was just grazing. I said to Amber, ‘There’s bison here. Let’s just move away and give him his space.’ Which we did,” said Whitehill. “You know being an outdoorsman myself. I hunt and fish and I know that you have to have respect for any wild animal out there.”
That’s when Whitehill noticed a second bison 60 yards away rolling in the dirt.
“We just kept moving away. Moving away and I told Amber ‘Do not run,’” said Whitehill.
It wasn’t enough – the bison charged at Amber.
“He struck her head-on and she was airborne. I think she did one or two backflips in the air, and I was screaming and yelling trying to distract him,” said Whitehill. “She landed pretty hard on her back.”
Amber was airlifted to a medical center in Idaho three hours away. She suffered multiple fractured vertebrae and two collapsed lungs.
“I’ve replayed it so many times, it was such a freak accident. You think, already, we’re taking precautionary measures. We’re doing what we’ve been told to stay safe, and it wasn’t enough,” said Whitehill.
The incident is still under investigation. Yellowstone National Park officials say it is mating season for the bison and they can be unpredictable. It was the first bison attack at the park since June 2022.
Amber is expecting a long recovery. A GoFundMe account has been created to help with medical costs.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on our 12News YouTube playlist here.
