I believed she was dead

A family outing to Mount Charleston near Las Vegas took a terrifying turn when a wild horse kicked a three-year-old girl in the head, causing a serious injury. The incident occurred while the Wilkey family, including four children, were at Lee Meadows for a photo shoot over the weekend. The peaceful scene quickly turned chaotic when two wild horses approached a group of people enjoying a picnic.

Haley Wilkey, the mother of the injured girl Olivia, described the harrowing moment when the horse struck her daughter. She recalled feeling sheer panic as Olivia lay unresponsive after the impact. The family’s day of leisure turned into a race against time to get medical help for the injured child.

With no cell service in the remote area, Haley’s husband had to drive down the mountain to call for assistance. In the meantime, a stranger who happened to be nearby came to their aid with a first aid kit. Together, they applied pressure to Olivia’s head wound to stem the bleeding until help arrived. The quick thinking and actions of these individuals likely saved Olivia’s life.

After being airlifted to the hospital, Olivia underwent scans that thankfully showed no signs of brain injury. By Tuesday evening, she was sitting up in bed and talking, showing signs of a remarkable recovery. The Wilkey family expressed their immense gratitude to the stranger who helped them in their time of need, wishing they had gotten his contact information to properly thank him.

Reflecting on the incident, Haley acknowledged that they had been too close to the wild horses, a situation they would avoid in the future. The traumatic experience served as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by wild animals, even in seemingly tranquil settings like Mount Charleston.

As the Wilkey family continues to recover from the ordeal, they are grateful for the support and assistance they received during a frightening and uncertain time. The incident serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of respecting wildlife and maintaining a safe distance when encountering animals in their natural habitat.