Teen woman bumped into backyard screaming after nan advised her ‘dad was killed by elephant’
Lily Burgess was just 17 when her beloved dad Simon left their family home in Zambia for a trip to South Luangwa National Park – and she never got to say goodbye
Lily Burgess was devastated by the loss of her dad (Image: Jam Press/@lilyburgess._)
A woman has opened up about the devastating final encounter with her father before he tragically lost his life in an elephant attack. Lily Burgess was merely 17 when her cherished dad Simon departed their family residence in Zambia for an excursion to South Luangwa National Park.
The father, originally from Bristol, had invited the now 23-year-old Lily to accompany him, but she chose to remain at home to concentrate on her studies. When Simon entered her bedroom to bid farewell, he attempted to embrace his teenage daughter but she declined, irritated at being disturbed from sleep.
The following day, Lily was viewing a film at home when her grandparents turned up without warning and informed her and her mum, Cherryl, 51, that there had been a tragedy. Simon, also father to Adam, 21, had been fatally attacked by an elephant, at the age of 63.
Lily as a teenager with dad Simon and Adam(Image: Jam Press/@lilyburgess._)
“I was extremely close with my dad,” said Lily, who is employed at a bar and currently resides in East Yorkshire. “He was my best friend and understood me better than anyone.
“The morning he left I was woken up by the sound of him grabbing things from the kitchen and remember being upset that I couldn’t go with him. Once he had put everything in the car he came to my room to say goodbye.
“I remember everything so vividly. The door opened and he walked towards my bed and tried to give me a hug but I refused because, in my typical teenage way, I was being a massive grump and didn’t want to be woken up fully, so I never said goodbye.
“Then he left home. The next day, me, mum and Adam were happily doing our own thing when there was a beep at the gate.”
Simon and Adam(Image: Jam Press/@lilyburgess._)
She added: “It was my grandparents who were on holiday so I let them in thinking they had popped round for an impromptu tea and biscuits visit. Their car drove rather speedily up the driveway and parked.
“When my granny got out I could tell something wasn’t right, she looked like she’d been crying. I tried to hug them both but they very quickly ushered me into the living room where I had just been, called my mum out of the kitchen and told me to get my brother.
“We were all now standing in the living room filled with worry as my granny announced, ‘There’s been an accident’. I never would have imagined what she would say next.
“She said ‘your daddy’s dead’. “Just like that. I remember feeling as if I were glued to the floor, I couldn’t move.
“Once my granny confirmed that Dad had been killed by an elephant, it was like I suddenly remembered I had legs. I ran out into the garden and started to scream.
Simon was much loved(Image: Jam Press/@lilyburgess._)
“I had never screamed like that before and have never screamed like that since. It’s all a little blurry as I think my brain has tried to block most of that day out but I do remember my grandfather wrapping his arms around me and holding me with all his might while I screamed and shouted up at the sky.
“The only word that kept coming out of my mouth was ‘why’. I couldn’t understand why that had to happen to my dad.
“My gentle, kind, loving dad. The feeling that came after my hours of sobbing and screaming was numbness.”
Simon had been assisting with setting up a camp in the park back in November 2020 when he and several others went to inspect a borehole supplying water to the location.
The region was experiencing the height of elephant calving season. A large bull elephant emerged from behind a shrub and charged the group.
Lily recalled: “The rest of the group reacted as anyone else would and ran toward the camp. It was very much an every man for himself situation.
Lily, Simon and Adam(Image: Jam Press/@lilyburgess._)
“Because dad had a bad leg and was just getting over a bout of shingles, he couldn’t run as fast as everyone else and he also ended up running in the complete opposite direction from the camp where the elephant got him.
“We think the elephant pierced him with its tusk and, or threw him and, or trampled him. The group returned to camp, realised dad wasn’t there and went looking for him once they knew it was safe to do so.”
His death certificate recorded blunt and penetrating injuries to the chest and blunt force trauma to the head.
He died before he could be taken to hospital.
