California woman was struck by a bull during a rodeo. She claims that the bull saved her young life.
Paige King, 25, was seated in the stands of a rodeo at Redding in Northern California when a runaway bull jumped the barrier wall. This injured six people. She was injured in her back and was taken to the emergency room at a nearby hospital.
King had to have a CAT scanner done in order for her to be checked for any internal injuries. Her neck was discovered by doctors as a mass. It was diagnosed as thyroid cancer after a biopsy.
King and her family were devastated by the news.
“I was stunned, honestly, as one of your kids discovered that they might have cancer. It gives you chills to know that this is way bigger than the rodeo was this year,” her dad, Erick Mattson, recently told KRCR-TV.
A friend, who is a rodeo announcer, referred the family in Texas to a treatment center.
“I’m very grateful for him and appreciate what he’s done for us,”King said this to the station.
So began her journey to recovery.
“Through some rodeo family, we were referred to one of the best cancer treatment hospitals in the nation,”Her father wrote on a GoFundMe pageEstablished to assist the family with their medical expenses.
She and her family are currently travelling back and forth between California, Texas, and Mexico.
“The next several months will be challenging but she is strong, she is surrounded by an amazing loving group of friends/family and together we will get through this,” King’s mother, Jennifer Mattson, wrote on her Facebook page.
King, through happenstance, was able to meet the bull, named Border Crisis, after she was injured. She and a co-worker were driving to work when they saw the massive mammal in a fenced pen.
They stopped and photographed King with the bull.
“It was funny and I was able smile at it. Although I was initially scared, it was actually quite fun.” King told the station. “It was a moment of full circle that I will cherish forever.”
Her mother had nothing but praise for Border Crisis.
“As frightening as that night was, we will always be grateful that it happened. We will also remember Border Crisis as the bull who saved her life. We know that he’s living happily on the ranch and has no idea that he is our hero, but we know,” she wrote on Facebook.
“Bridwell Pro Rodeos sends him special treats from my family to say thank you!” She said.