It was the trip of a lifetime for grandmother Gail Mattson as she embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime safari to witness the magnificent creatures she had spent her entire life longing to see.

The 79-year-old from Minnesota had travelled to Zambia to see breathtaking elephants, lions and other exotic wildlife. Gail had undertaken the extraordinary adventure with a close friend and had confided in loved ones that it would be the final major overseas journey she felt capable of making.

She had travelled widely throughout her life and had a profound passion for exploring the globe, having previously ventured across both Asia and Europe.

Yet as Gail approached her 80th birthday, with family back home busily organising a grand celebration for the milestone occasion, she made the bittersweet decision that this would be her last great adventure.

Gail had been fondly described as a “big traveller” by her close friends John Longabaugh and Brenda Biggs, who revealed that an African safari had “always been on her bucket list”, reports the Daily Star.

On March 30, 2024, Gail set out on a game drive to see some of the remarkable animals that live in Zambia in their natural environment.

The devoted church volunteer who loved playing bridge could never have anticipated her ultimate adventure would end in heartbreak.

It was during the safari excursion that a bull elephant charged directly at the vehicle she was travelling in — a sudden and ferocious attack, with the elephant described as “aggressive”. Six individuals were travelling in the truck and four of those aboard required treatment for minor injuries while a fifth received medical attention at a hospital in South Africa.

Tragically, however, Gail sustained catastrophic injuries and did not survive the attack, during which the bull elephant overturned the truck.

In a disturbing recording of the incident, someone can be heard saying “oh my goodness,” and “it’s coming fast”. It is believed the driver halted the vehicle in an attempt to stop the elephant in its tracks, but the bull hooked its horns into the truck and rolled it multiple times.

Keith Vincent, CEO of the safari company operating the trip, explained the terrain made it impossible for the vehicle to escape quickly enough to save Gail.

He explained: “Our guides are all extremely well trained and experienced, but sadly in this instance the terrain and vegetation was such that the guide’s route became blocked and he could not move the vehicle out of harm’s way quickly enough.”

In a devastating Facebook post following her mother’s death, Gail’s daughter Rona Wells wrote: “Sadly she lost her life in a tragic accident while on her dream adventure.”

Her son, Blake Vetter, told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis “this is more than about a little old lady that got killed by an elephant. She lived an extraordinary life” while raising two children by herself. Gail was also an avid golfer and had previously worked as a loan officer for a mortgage company before taking early retirement at the age of 55.

She and her son had been making plans for a skydive upon her return from her dream holiday.