Son of American Tourist Slain by Elephant in Zambia Stands Up for Animal, Spares Driver from Blame

Blake Vetter, the son of Gail Mattson, an 80-year-old American tourist who lost her life in Africa after being attacked by an elephant during a safari, has chosen to advocate for the animal rather than assign blame. The incident occurred in Zambia’s Kafue National Park, where Mattson sustained fatal injuries. Despite the heartbreaking loss of his mother, Vetter has refrained from blaming either the elephant or the driver involved.

“She was really looking forward to this, and she also knew there were risks and that anytime something could happen,” Vetter told Daily Mail. He continued, “People want to blame the elephant and the driver. It’s awful how people don’t know what’s going on. The elephant was being an elephant. My mom would be the first to defend the driver and the elephant.”

Over the weekend, a viral video captured a group of tourists on a safari in Zambia’s Kafue National Park being attacked by a wild elephant. As the tourists were photographing the jungle, a bull elephant charged towards them. Although the video does not show the individuals in the vehicle, the screams of the tourists can be heard as the elephant approaches. The tragic incident resulted in the death of 79-year-old Gail Matson from Minnesota, while six other tourists sustained minor injuries and were hospitalized.

The CEO of Wilderness Zambia, the safari organizer, explained that the challenging terrain impeded a swift escape. The organizers have pledged their cooperation with the police investigation and offered condolences to Mattson’s family. According to the CEO, “The operation’s 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.”

Meanwhile, Mattson, a retired loan officer, had recently completed an 11-day stint on a month-long foreign trip. The adventurous grandmother had embraced exploration since her retirement.