Lily Kryzhanivskyy, 9, survived a brutal cougar assault while playing hide & seek with her friends at a campground near Fruitland, Washington.
The incident happened around 11 a.m. in broad daylight, taking everyone by surprise.
When the cougar pounced on Lily and attempted to pull her into the woods, her pals rushed to her aid.
Yelena Kryzhanivskyy, Lily’s mother, told reporters:
“They were playing hide and seek. She jumped out from her hiding spot to surprise a friend and a cougar jumped on her and attacked her”
Adults in the vicinity were alerted, and they rushed to chase away the big cat, throwing rocks to distract it until help arrived.
After the rescue, Lily was immediately rushed to the hospital and underwent intensive surgery. She spent two days in a coma before finally waking up.
Despite the ordeal, the brave young girl expressed her thoughts to her mom, Yelena Kryzhanivskyy, about the incident and the subsequent news coverage.
Her mom elaborated in her interview with the news station, she said;
“She knew it was a big deal, what happened to her, and she had seen some media coverage. She was a little disappointed that people didn’t know who she was. She did tell me that she wanted people to know that she is very tough and very brave.”
The swift action of an onlooker resulted in the cougar being killed almost immediately, averting any further danger. Wildlife officials tested the animal and ruled out rabies or any other disease that could have provoked the attack. However, the exact reason behind the cougar’s aggression remains a mystery to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Instances of cougar attacks in the state of Washington are exceedingly rare, with only 20 such incidents occurring in the last century. As the community and authorities grapple with the shock of this event, they are also relieved that Lily is now out of danger and on her way to recovery.