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Atlanta woman laments chimpanzee attack
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Shortly after a 200-pound chimpanzee horribly mauled a Connecticut woman, an Atlanta resident, Leslie Mostel Paul lamented and described a personal attack by the same animal in 1996. In an NBC 'Today' show interview, Paul said that the chimp bit her hand and tried to pull her into the vehicle in which he was sitting with his owner, Sandra Herold.
Although Paul insists that she reported the incident to the police, she knows of no follow-up. "I honestly believe if they had followed through maybe the laws would have changed sooner and this other woman wouldn't be in the hospital fighting for her live now." Paul lived in Stamford, Conn. at the time of her encounter with Travis, the chimp.
In an exclusive interview with Oprah Winfrey on Wednesday, November 11, the horribly disfigured face of Charla Nash was revealed. This same chimp on February 16, 2009 viciously attached Nash. She lost her eyes, nose, jaw, fingers, and arms as the chimp attacked and actually ate parts of her face including the eyes. The incredibly frantic 911 call from the pet's owner Sandra Herold was very raw. "He ripped her face, he ripped her apart...he is eating her...she is dead," is just part of that call.
Upon revealing her face to Oprah and the world, Charla Nash also unveiled an unbelievably strong spirit. Not remembering anything of the attack is a good thing according to Nash. "I want to be healthy. I don't want to wake up to nightmares," she stated.
"I am the same person I've always been, I just look different," Nash later added. A great spirit, but could this tragedy have prevented" Leslie Mostel Paul of Atlanta certainly thinks so. Charla Nash's family has asked for permission from Connecticut's Office of Claims to sue for $150 million. The claim is presently being reviewed.
