A wildlife biologist from the US is out of a coma and her 3-year-old son is stable after undergoing brain surgery following a giraffe attack in South Africa.
The biologist has emerged from a coma and is communicating for the first time since a giraffe attack in South Africa left her and her young son fighting for their lives.
Dr. Katy Williams and her son, Finn remain in intensive care after they were kicked by a female giraffe on Monday near their home in the Blyde Wildlife Estate near the Kruger National Park in South Africa.
Her British husband, Dr. Sam Williams, returned from a run to find his wife and son being trampled by a giraffe that was believed to have mistakenly interpreted the Mother and child to be a threat to her two-month-old calf.
He was then able to scare off the giraffe.
Katy who is a Baltimore native, underwent surgery and is now able to communicate via sign language after regaining consciousness.
Finn is in stable condition as of Wednesday morning after undergoing surgery to release pressure on his brain.
“It was amazing to see Katy wake up and to be able to talk to her and to reassure her that we are there for her,’‘ Sam said to NBC News .
Finn is “stable and…I hope that in time he will also wake up so that we can all be reunited as a family,’‘ he added.
The giraffe who attacked them has been moved to another reserve with her calf, which Sam said in a statement is what Katy would have wanted.
Usually considered Africa’s gentle giants, the animals are also very protective of their young and have a kick that can be lethal.
“I can ensure you that Katy would never have deliberately put herself or Finn in danger,” her father, Jack, told NBC News. “We hold no judgement against the giraffe. This is just the way nature is and we accept that.”