Gary Freeman told a friend just weeks before he died that he would rather be killed by an elephant than ever shoot one. That conversation turned out to be the last word he would ever have on the subject.

Freeman was leading a walking safari at Klaserie Private Nature Reserve in South Africa's Limpopo province when an elephant emerged suddenly from the bush and charged the group. He was carrying a revolver. According to the South African Police Service, there is no evidence the firearm was ever fired. Freeman was attacked and killed.

A Man Who Chose Not to Pull the Trigger

The detail that stops people is a simple one: Freeman had a loaded weapon in his hand, the elephant was charging, and he did not shoot. Police confirmed there was no evidence the revolver was used at all. Whether that was a split-second instinct, a deliberate choice, or simply a situation that moved faster than any decision could, no one can say for certain. What is known is that the outcome aligned exactly with what he had told people he would accept.

Judy Connors, who had spent time with Freeman in February, recalled him speaking about his deep love for elephants with a calm she described as total. He said he would rather be killed by one than shoot one. She also noted that he carried what she described as a fulfilled sense that life had given him enough.

Thirty-Three Years in the Bush

Freeman had run Gary Freeman Safaris for 33 years, leading walking safaris at Klaserie since the operation began in the early 1990s. The reserve itself was established when 36 farm owners combined their land to create one of South Africa's largest Big Five reserves, home to approximately 750 wild elephants alongside rhinos, lions, leopards, and buffalo.

His height earned him the nickname Thutwa — the Tswana word for giraffe. His way with people earned him something harder to name. Guests he guided through the bush described being invited to their weddings. He referred to them as family. Friend Thomas Marshall, who joined Freeman on multiple wilderness hikes, called him totally at one with nature and a genuine legend.

The Elephant, the Inquest, and What Comes Next

Limpopo Province police have launched a formal inquest into Freeman's death. No action is being taken against the elephant, but wildlife experts are assessing its behaviour and the potential risks it may present going forward.

Male elephants, the world's largest land animals, can reach 13 feet in height, weigh up to six tonnes, and charge at speeds of 25 mph. Across Africa, they are responsible for up to 500 human fatalities each year. Freeman knew this better than almost anyone. He led people through their territory for more than three decades.

A tribute from those who knew him described Freeman as a pioneer in the walking safari world who shared decades of unique bush experience with guests and trained a vast number of field guides throughout his career. The Klaserie Chronicle, the reserve's own publication, confirmed he had led the walking safari operation since its inception.

The inquest into his death remains ongoing.