September 25th 2024.
Roland Cherry, a British man, was told by doctors that he was incredibly lucky to be alive after a terrifying attack. Roland and his wife, Shirley, had been on a safari in southern Africa when they encountered a female hippo protecting her young calf. In a split second, the peaceful tour of the Kafue River turned into a nightmare.
The hippo charged at their canoe, sending the couple flying into the air like rag dolls. Roland, a company director, found himself in the jaws of the massive animal, struggling to stay afloat as it dragged him to the bottom of the river. Despite his attempts to swim to safety, the hippo grabbed him again and tossed him into the air for a second time. It was a terrifying and life-threatening situation.
Even Shirley, who had managed to swim to the shore, could only watch in horror as her husband was dragged deeper into the water. Roland, on the other hand, could only think of his impending death as he was being pulled towards the bottom of the river. But miraculously, he managed to stay alive and resurfaced, injured and unable to swim with a dislocated shoulder.
As he was being carried away by the river, Roland could see his wife on the shore, watching helplessly. He was then thrown through the air once again, this time towards the bank. It was a stroke of luck that he landed there, as he was able to grab onto something and stay afloat. Looking down at his injuries, he could see bits of flesh sticking out of his torn shorts and blood on his abdomen. His leg was also seriously injured.
Eventually, he was rescued and taken to a nearby hospital where he was told that his injuries were life-threatening and that he was lucky to have survived. He was then airlifted to a hospital in Johannesburg, where he spent five days before being flown back to the UK. Even now, he has deep scars from the 25cm bite on his stomach and wounds on his thigh and shoulder.
Back at home in Tysoe, the couple is grateful to be together and raising money for the hospital that initially treated Roland. He is forever in their debt and wants to give back to them for giving him a second chance at life. Despite the traumatic experience, Roland has not ruled out returning to Africa for future safari trips. He holds no grudge against the hippos, but admits that he never wants to be that close to one again. After all, they were there to witness and appreciate the beauty of the natural world, not to become a part of it in such a dangerous way.
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