A recent report about an American tourist who died after a lion mauling incident in South Africa has now caught more attention as the victim has been identified. The woman was 29-year-old, Katherine Chappell, who worked as visual effects editor for Emmy award-winning HBO television series, Game of Thrones, and other Hollywood projects, Huffington Post reports.
The Lion Park's is a wildlife park offering self-driven and guided tours located between Johannesburg and Pretoria where the tragedy took place. Assistant Operations Manager explained that a lioness approached and lunged as Chappell was on a tour of the premises while onboard an SUV. "They had their windows all the way down, which is strictly against policy. The lion bit the lady through the window," he told Associated Press.
The driver of the vehicle, Pierre Potgieter, attempted to fend off the attacking animal but was unsuccessful and injured himself in the process. Emergency team was quick to respond but "Unfortunately, she did pass away," Simpson told the AP. The park's policies will be reviewed, he explains, but believes that existing safety measures, if only followed by visitors, are "more than adequate." Euthanasia is not being considered for the lion involved but rather a transfer to a different property owned by the park where tourists don't have an access to, he adds.
Katherine's mother, Mary Chappell, told the Journal News that her daughter was in the country for a two-week volunteering stint on a wildlife preserve and came a week early to go sightseeing. "She lived a life of adventure - she loved traveling, she was full of life," she tells the news outlet. Mary shares that her daughter loved to travel and had a soft spot for animals.
Chappell, who hoped of making a film about the poaching crisis in Africa and its dangers to the country's wildlife, was laid to rest on Saturday after the funeral service at Graham Funeral Home in Rye, New York, People reports. Here's a tribute by her sister, Jennifer, in a Facebook post:
"We are broken-hearted to share this news with our friends and family. Yesterday morning, while on a volunteer mission to protect wildlife in South Africa, Kate Chappell was involved in a tragic and fatal accident," Jennifer Chappell wrote.
"Katie was a brilliant, kind, adventurous and high-spirited woman. Her energy and passion could not be contained by mere continents or oceans. She was very much loved and shared her love for life with those she met," the statement continued. "We cannot thank everyone enough for the kind words and support. It means the world to us during this difficult time."
