Buffalo Attack
We met Leiyo and his father during one of their doctor-prescribed walks around FAME. During this time, they recounted the incident that deeply affected them. Leiyo's father repeatedly emphasized, "FAME saved his life.”
Due to FAME's proximity to Ngorongoro and Serengeti national parks, we sometimes treat patients who have experienced human-wildlife conflicts. Last year, we shared the story of a 17-year-old boy who survived a leopard attack while herding cattle (you can find the story here) and earlier this year, we highlighted the experience of a 59-year-old man who survived a buffalo attack while gathering wild vegetables in the forest for food (read his story here).
Today, we share the story of Leiyo, a 14-year-old boy who was attacked by a buffalo while herding cattle in the forest.
“My father just bought me a new watch, so I know for sure when the attack happened. It was exactly 2:50 pm when I encountered a group of buffaloes while looking after the cattle. Usually, I have three dogs with me during grazing to help me manage the cows, especially when I'm alone. This time, the dogs began barking loudly all of a sudden. Wondering about the noise, I looked back and saw a big group of buffaloes rushing toward me. Although the herd changed direction after being scared by the dogs, five buffaloes kept running in my direction.
Understanding the risk, I quickly lay down on the ground, knowing that being stabbed and thrown into the air by a buffalo could be deadly. One of the buffaloes stepped on me as they ran by. When I was sure they were gone, I tried to stand up but couldn't catch my breath and I was bleeding from my mouth. I grabbed my phone to call my father, but speaking was hard because of the blood. Feeling desperate, I attempted to send him a message and then passed out. It was 3 pm.
I was at home when I got an unusual message from Leiyo. He's usually very careful with his messages; even though brief, they always start with a greeting and then an explanation of what he wants. But this time, his message only had two letters, "Pg" which didn't make any sense. Right away, I felt a shiver down my spine. I knew something was not right.”
Leiyo's father quickly contacted some local boys around Leiyo's age and requested them to go to the forest to check on him. The boys discovered Leiyo unconscious and they brought him back home. Immediately, Leiyo's father and uncles rented a car and took him to the nearby hospital.
“He didn't seem well at all. There was a lot of blood coming from his mouth and he was struggling to breathe. One of the boys who brought him back mentioned seeing buffalo footprints, suggesting a buffalo might have attacked him. Leiyo couldn't speak at this point, even though he was conscious. At the hospital, an X-ray revealed several broken bones in his chest and they informed us that he needed a higher level of care they couldn't offer. They arranged for an ambulance to bring us to FAME.” - Leiyo’s father
They reached FAME at 10 pm in the night. Following tests, it was confirmed that Leiyo had five fractures in his chest, causing the chest wall to become unstable. This instability was causing significant difficulty breathing.
“FAME saved his life through surgery. Since the operation, he has been getting better and walking around. I’m extremely grateful that we were able to get here because I’m not sure he would have survived otherwise. Being the rainy season, it had rained a lot on the day of the accident and the ambulance had difficulty reaching FAME because the roads were very slippery and muddy. It’s only by the grace of God that we made it. When we arrived at FAME, the medical team immediately responded and attended to him, even though it was nighttime. I appreciate this very much.”
“I’m happy I feel like myself again. In a few days, I will return home to my cows. I’m sure they’re wondering where I am since I never got to say goodbye!”