The last thing anyone expects while snorkeling in the shallows of the Bahamas is to be hit by a boat. But, for a retired Army Ranger, this became a reality, with the boat almost cutting his body in half.
There are laws about how close boats can come to the coast, with the usual law being around 200 meters. According to the wife of the wounded man, he was only snorkeling about 20 meters out. But a speeding boat still hit him, inflicting grievous injuries to the man.
The 42-year-old army ranger recalls the moment he was hit by the boat, cutting into his body. “I felt like a thump thump, and I was like, Did I just get hit by a boat? My left leg wasn’t functioning, and I felt like something was wrong with my lower body,” he told CBS News.
Not yet understanding the severity of his wounds, he rolled to his back to see a boat speeding away. He remembered seeing one of them look back as they left, not caring about the damage they had done. The shock the army ranger was feeling began to fade, and the pain set in.
As he helplessly screamed, his family had to rush into the water to pull him out. His daughter used a floaty to drag him to shore, where he was rushed to a local hospital. However, the Bahamas hospital told him they were not capable of dealing with the severity of the damage done by the boat.
No Expense Spared To Save Life of Severed Soldier
Out of their own pocket, the Army Ranger and his wife paid for a flight from the Bahamas to Miami, where he could be treated for the deep gashes sustained by the boat. Whitney, the man’s wife, described his condition. His “bottom was almost completely detached from his legs.”
Leaving their daughters in the Bahamas, the pair flew to Miami. Here, he underwent a four-hour surgery to repair the damage done. He had suffered multiple breaks to the legs and pelvis, and a huge gash. Some of the wounds were so deep, they were unable to be sewn, and were instead packed.
Despite the horrendous damage done by the boat, the returned Army Ranger is making a recovery. However, because it happened in the US, the veteran has to pay extortionate amounts for his surgery. So, like almost every other US citizen who needs to visit a hospital, they are left begging for alms on GoFundMe.
The hit-and-run boat operators are still at large.