Yellowstone tourist flipped 8 feet into air by massive bison at national park, suffers broken femur

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING: A terrifying encounter at Yellowstone National Park has left a Washington grandfather with multiple broken bones, but what happened after the attack is now drawing just as much attention as the dramatic footage itself.

The incident unfolded on Friday night near Bridge Bay Campground by Yellowstone Lake, where 65-year-old Carl Isom-McDaniel was visiting with his 13-year-old grandson.

A massive bull bison suddenly charged at the retiree, launching him roughly eight feet into the air in a shocking moment that was captured on camera by a photographer visiting the park.

While the attack left McDaniel seriously injured and requiring surgery, his reaction afterward surprised many.

Carl Isom-McDaniel says bison could have done far worse

McDaniel suffered a broken femur in four places near his hip after the encounter. The injury required surgery on Sunday, but the grandfather said he was already back on his feet the following day.

“Thank you everyone I am OK,” McDaniel wrote on Facebook after the procedure, adding a thumbs-up emoji.

Despite the painful injuries, McDaniel said he does not view the animal as a villain. In fact, he believes the encounter could have ended much differently.

“When I was on the ground immobile, unable to move, he was right on top of me,” McDaniel said.

“He could have stomped on me, he could have gored me, he could have done almost anything to take my life, and he did not do so.”

His comments have added a different perspective to the viral incident, which quickly spread online after footage of the attack surfaced.

Viral video captured by photographer shows dramatic moment

The now widely shared footage was recorded by Montana photographer Mike MacLeod, who happened to be in the area when the attack occurred.

MacLeod later said McDaniel remained remarkably positive despite the pain he was experiencing after being struck by the animal.

“He was in a lot of pain, but was conscious and joking the whole time,” MacLeod told Cowboy State Daily.

According to the photographer, McDaniel's biggest concern was not his injuries but whether people would wrongly assume he had provoked the animal.

“He was really worried and wanted to see the video to make sure that it wasn’t his fault,” MacLeod said.

Witness insists neither Carl Isom-McDaniel nor grandson provoked animal

After reviewing the footage and witnessing the incident firsthand, MacLeod said he saw no indication that McDaniel or his grandson did anything to trigger the attack.

“It’s not his fault. You can tell from the very beginning. That was a really, really angry bison,” he said.

The photographer added that the pair simply found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time when the bull became aggressive.

According to MacLeod, neither McDaniel nor the teenager approached, challenged, or attempted to provoke the animal before it charged.

Yellowstone officials decide on attack

As the video continued to gain attention online, questions emerged about what might happen to the animal involved.

Park officials later confirmed that no management action would be taken against the bison following the incident.

The decision came after days of public discussion surrounding the attack and the condition of the injured tourist.