The Tribune

BY EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

AN American woman who lost her legs in a boating accident in The Bahamas in May has recounted her harrowing experience, saying she nearly lost her life.

Hannah Smith, a 22-year-old recent college graduate, said: “I want my legs back, but in that situation, I would have lost my life.”

She recalled the tragedy in a recent interview with 7 News Miami, speaking about her recovery journey since the accident.

Ms Smith had been on a cruise to celebrate her graduation and stopped at a port in The Bahamas when the incident occurred.

Police said the accident happened shortly after 3.45pm on May 12, when Ms Smith entered the water from a vessel she was a passenger on while it was attempting to dock near Bay Street.

She said she was on an excursion when the boat’s propellers “kind of dismembered” her legs, which later had to be amputated.

“I could have just lost so much more,” she said, “My family could be grieving right now instead of like helping me rehabilitate.”

Ms Smith said getting into a wheelchair was her “first big win”, but returning to the gym gave her renewed energy.

“A lot of my wounds are almost closed, so it’s kind of like slowly getting back to a new normal life.”

Ms Smith, who earned a degree in graphic design and communications and has a passion for tattooing, said she even asked others to bring her tattoo machines so she could tattoo herself while in hospital.

After the accident, a GoFundMe page was launched to support Ms Smith’s recovery, with a fundraising goal of $250,000.

The campaign, titled Support Hannah’s Endless Adventures and New Beginnings, describes the incident as a life-altering tragedy and appeals for public support to help cover surgeries, medical bills, and her long road to recovery.