Brit teen gored by bison and left unable to walk in US 'told to fly home as insurance will stop paying for care'

11 August 2022, 09:00 | Updated: 11 August 2022, 10:00

A British teenager who was lucky to survive a bison attack in the US has been told to fly home before her health insurance funding is withdrawn – leaving her unable to visit a clinic that could be vital to her recovery.

Amelia Dean – known as Mia - was left unable to walk after being gored by the animal when it charged her, ripping into her thigh with its horn and throwing her 15 feet into the air before her friend rescued her.

Her family said the 19-year-old was lucky to still be alive today and hoped to raise £140,000 to send her to a clinic that will give her the best shot of regaining movement in her foot and cover medical costs her travel insurance wouldn't cover.

But relatives now say her medical insurance has given her an "ultimatum" – to fly home at the weekend before funding for her care is withdrawn.

So far they have raised £60,000 of their goal and had arranged treatments at the specialist Mayo clinic in the US – the money being enough for initial tests – but with transport fees to get her home costing more than £100,000 they now need to get her back to the UK before having to fork out potential six figure sum.

The family wrote on her GoFundMe page: "Since launching this fundraiser, Mia's situation has changed and we have had to make some difficult decisions.

"Our daughter's health is our top priority and we want to get her home as safely as possible.

"Now the insurance company has given us an ultimatum: to fly Mia home by air ambulance this weekend, after which they will withdraw funding for her case.

"Although the money you have so generously given would cover initial testing at Mayo Clinic, the cost of an air ambulance home is in excess of £100,000 ($121,000).

"If we choose stay in the US and follow this route we are then potentially left stranded.

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"With so many unknowns for her future treatment needs, we feel we have little choice but to cancel Mia's appointments at the Mayo Clinic next week. We may have to consider coming back to the Mayo Clinic, should it become necessary.

"It's gutting, but we have to do what is best for Mia's recovery with so little hard information available."

Mia has been accepted at Edinburgh University and planned to start in September after a year out. She was coming towards the end of her gap year when the attack happened.

Her family said she was hiking with a friend and his wolf-dog on June 16, what was meant to be the second day of a month-long road trip across the US.

They came across a large male bison while walking on a trail in Custer State Park, South Dakota, and it seemed "unconcerned" with them and continued to graze.

After giving it a wide berth of about 100 yards, with the dog in a harness, the animal suddenly stopped eating and charged at them.

Mia was frozen with shock and the bison ploughed into her, goring her thigh and throwing her into the air.

It then stood around her before her friend managed to lead it away.

The family said the full extent of the injury is not clear but it is described as "highly complex", with her tibial nerve fully severed, the peroneal tendon split down the middle and partly shredded and crushed.

They had hoped she could be sent to the Mayo Clinic, which they believed to be her best chance at a recovery.

They said: "We understand that she will need complex nerve grafts and possibly more than one surgery. The logistics of this are still unclear until Mia sees a peripheral nerve expert.

"She will also need extensive long-term physical rehabilitation, home care, and specialist equipment and of course, we are worried about our daughter's wellbeing after the trauma of the accident, the treatment she has already undergone and the difficulties with the insurance company.

"We want to be completely transparent here and we will continue to keep everyone updated on how we will move forward with Mia's treatment and recovery. Again we cannot thank you enough for your support at this incredibly difficult time."