Beyond the viral video: Photographer, recovering grandfather reveal untold details of Yellowstone bison attack
Maile Sipraseuth
YELLOWSTONE (KIFI) — A 65-year-old grandfather is on the mend after a viral encounter with a 2,000-pound bison in Yellowstone National Park, an ordeal bystanders say he survived by putting himself directly in harm’s way to save his young grandson.
It’s been over a week since Carl McDaniel was charged and launched into the air by the massive animal. Now recovering, McDaniel and the bystander who caught the attack on video are sharing the untold details of the split-second decisions and the strangers who came together to save his life.
A Split-Second Sacrifice
The incident was captured on camera by Mike McCleod, a nearby camper and photographer with a degree in wildlife biology. McCleod had initially started recording because he noticed a bison rolling in the dirt right next to McDaniel’s campsite.
“I’m taking video at this point because it’s pretty funny—the juxtaposition of the domestic picnic table and tent, and this huge 2,000-pound animal,” McCleod recalled. “But you could tell he was already in an aggravated state for whatever reason.”
McCleod later noted that a nearby pickup truck honked its horn shortly before the attack, which McDaniel believes may have further provoked the animal.
When the bison suddenly charged toward McDaniel’s 13-year-old grandson, McDaniel made an immediate choice to draw the animal’s attention toward himself.
“Carl led the bull in the opposite direction to protect his grandson,” McCleod said. “As he said to me later, ‘[He] is 100% my responsibility.’ Classic grandfather move.”
Strangers Step Up
After McDaniel was launched by the bison, the surrounding campers didn’t hesitate to step up. A group of campers rushed the aggressive animal, scaring it off before it could cause further harm.
“I had maybe a dozen campers rushing behind me,” McCleod said. “The bison thought, ‘Hey, I’m out of here,’ so it turned and ran. At that point, we ran up to Carl, and everybody just kind of assigned themselves a role—whatever needed to be done.”
McDaniel recovered from the attack at Bozeman Health in Montana, where, on July 17, he spoke with the marketing team. Despite the traumatic event, McDaniel stated, “I always felt safe and secure. I wasn’t ever terrified.”
The Road to Recovery
Park officials confirmed in a report to TMZ that the bison involved will not be euthanized. Meanwhile, McDaniel is making steady progress toward recovery, celebrating a major milestone on Friday by walking 175 feet for the first time since the attack.
Both McCleod and McDaniel have stayed in touch since the incident. McCleod revealed that McDaniel is deeply involved in his community, often playing Santa Claus. McCleod joked, “I will henceforth be known as the photographer who saved Santa.”