The parents of Hannah Smith, 22, a graduate who was on her dream holiday, want to track down the two strangers who saved her life with their quick-thinking actions
The family of a woman who had her legs torn off by the propellors of a boat have praised two Good Samaritans who stepped in to save her life.
Hannah Smith, 22, was on her dream trip to the Bahamas to celebrate graduating college when she slipped from a pontoon boat and was dragged underneath, suffering horror injuries including partially severed legs.
And she nearly lost her life, bleeding out into the sea as the boat docked at Nassau Cruise Port. Thanks to fellow passengers, Hannah was hauled out of the “pool of blood” and given first aid by strangers, enabling her to get to hospital where she could be treated.
Now recuperating from her eighth operation in less than 10 days, Hannah is being supported by her family – mum Tracy, dad Marvin and one of her three siblings, Rachel – who have travelled from their home in Tennessee to be by her side in a Miami hospital.
READ MORE: Tourist, 22, fighting for life after legs torn off in freak accident still ‘doesn’t know’
Now her parents wish to track down the incredible strangers who gave their daughter first aid, stopping her catastrophic blood loss so she would have the chance to survive.
“It was actually two patrons on the same excursion [as Hannah],” said Tracy. “We were able to speak to one, we’d love to speak with the other one, just to thank them. They were the ones applying tourniquets, applying pressure before the first responders even got here.”
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“They were Americans who tended to her injuries, they were the first ones there,” says Marvin. “We know it definitely was a nurse and a firefighter, a man and a woman.”
Breaking down, Tracy said: “I want to just say thank you, because they allowed her to make it to the doctor’s hospital in the Bahamas for her to receive further life saving care. I would love to be able to talk to them and ask their permission before we give their names or something like that, just to be respectful.”
READ MORE: Woman whose legs ripped off in horror boat propeller accident had SECOND family heartbreak
It is nothing short of a “miracle” that Hannah is still alive, said her dad. “I feel like we really witnessed a miracle, because we could have very well been planning a funeral. Thank God that we’re still able to talk to our daughter.”
Hannah had lost so much blood that doctors in the Bahamas called for more donors to come forward, sparking a blood drive at the hospital where she was first treated.
“What we didn’t realise is that Hannah has a different blood type to the blood they were giving her,” said Tracy. “Before this she’d never had any surgeries or anything.”
“But it was needed,” says Marvin. “It was absolutely needed,” added Tracy. “She still needs blood. They absolutely saved her life there.”
Hannah’s older sister Rachel has set up a GoFundMe page seeking donations to Hannah’s mounting medical costs, which are expected to run into the hundreds of thousands.
For now, the family’s lives are on hold while Hannah remains in hospital. “She’s got a long journey [of recovery] says Tracy. “There’s a lot of extenuating damages. Right now we’re trying to keep her in today and moving forward and how bright her future can be. We’ve just got to get her healed.”
To donate to Hannah’s GoFundMe, visit www.gofundme.com/f/support-hannahs-endlessly-adventures.