Latest news with #MilesCollege
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
22-Year-Old Woman Tragically Loses Legs Following Freak Accident In The Bahamas
A young woman celebrating her summa cum laude college graduation experienced a traumatic freak accident in The Bahamas that resulted in her legs being severed. When the boating incident occurred on May 12, Hannah Smith, 22, was allegedly on the first day of her trip. According to the Daily Mail, she and a friend, Brooklyn Pitre, were on a celebratory Carnival Sunrise cruise after graduating. The two were returning to the ship via a pontoon ferry after doing off-ship excursions. As the small boat docked around 3:55 p.m. at Nassau Cruise Port, Hannah found herself in the water. The ferry's propellers reportedly dragged the young woman under the water, then partially severed her legs and surrounded her in blood. Two of the boat's female passengers were able to pull Hannah out of the water, and she went to a local hospital. Two days later, the Memphis, Tennessee, native was transferred to a hospital back in the United States for emergency surgery. Updates provided by her family (shared on GoFundMe) note that Hannah has undergone over 10 surgeries in the two and a half weeks following the boating incident. Though she suffered some medical setbacks and doctors performed extensive procedures, the recent graduate has been pulling through. It remains unclear how exactly Hannah ended up in the water, as sources differ. The pontoon ferry's captain allegedly told local authorities that Hannah jumped into the water. Police claim that alcohol consumption possibly played a role in the tragic incident. However, the recent graduate's parents, Tracy and Marvin Smith, deny that their daughter was inebriated. The recent graduate and Delta Sigma Theta sorority member studied communications and graphic design at Miles College, a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) institution in Alabama. A family member has created a GoFundMe to aid Hannah with her medical costs and recovery. At the beginning of the fundraiser's description, it describes Hannah as a young woman who is 'love' and 'light.' 'This boating accident will not define your life,' declared Hannah's family member in the GoFundMe's description. 'We need you to have many more birthdays, more holidays, more life experiences… While on what was supposed to be a beautiful trip to the Bahamas, Hannah was involved in a tragic accident that nearly claimed her life. Through the grace of God, she's still with us, but the road ahead is long, filled with surgeries, recovery, and overwhelming medical costs.' As of this reporting, the fundraiser has received over 1,200 donations. It's currently at over $50,500 of its $250,000 goal. A May 29 update on Hannah's well-being said, 'This journey is taking a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual toll. Please keep her lifted in your thoughts and prayers. She is fighting!!!' In late March, the State Department updated its travel advisory for Americans traveling to The Bahamas. The alert included a notice regarding crime, swimming-related risks, and traveling with firearms and ammunition on the Caribbean post 22-Year-Old Woman Tragically Loses Legs Following Freak Accident In The Bahamas appeared first on Travel Noire.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Major health update on tourist, 22, whose legs were torn off by boat propeller
Hannah Smith, 22, remains in hospital with her devastated family by her side as she continues to recover from a tragic accident in the Bahamas which saw her lose both her legs A university graduate who was sucked into a boat 's propeller and had both her legs torn off has undergone more than a dozen surgeries, her heartbroken sister has revealed. Hannah Smith, 22, was on a dream trip to the Bahamas last month as she celebrated graduating with top honours for her arts degree at Miles College, Alabama when tragedy struck. According to the young woman's family, Hannah fell from the side of a pontoon boat as it was docking and was suddenly dragged beneath the water by its propeller, leaving her with catastrophic injuries and partially severed legs. Two female passengers managed to grab her arm and pull her back on board and she was airlifted to the US for surgery. The family set up a GoFundMe page to cover the mounting medical bills and in the latest update, Rachel Smith revealed her sister is still "fighting". "Your continued prayers and support are very much needed and appreciated," the update reads. "Hannah has undergone her 13th surgery with more to come. This journey is taking a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual toll. Please keep her lifted in your thoughts and prayers. She is fighting!!! Thank you for all the love and support." Hannah's parents Tracy and Marvin Smith, as well as sister Rachel, have travelled from their home in Tennessee to be by her bedside in a Miami hospital. In another update, Rachel said her sister is "progressing slowly". "Hannah underwent her sixth surgery Monday May 20, 2025. This was one of her less extensive procedures," it read. "Doctors more so used this time for debridement, examination, and determining a plan of action. She is progressing slowly but surely day by day. Her strength and ability to overcome every obstacle in her journey is beautiful!" Another update, posted on May 17, reads: "Hannah suffered a few setbacks. She had to undergo additional transfusions of blood, platelets, and dialysis. Before she was taken into her scheduled surgery, she momentarily came out of her sedation. She was able to acknowledge our presence and encouraging words with head nods and squeezing our hands. She has underwent her fifth surgery. Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers." Just a week after the tragedy, Hannah's devastated parents told the Mirror their daughter was a Crossfit-loving athlete who was a keen cheerleader, footballer and track runner. "She's still in intensive care, but she's conscious when she's not in surgery," Marvin told the Mirror. "She definitely knows we're there supporting her. It means the world to her, she was so happy when she regained consciousness that we were all here." "We're trying to keep her spirits up," added emotional mum Tracy. "She's in a lot of pain. We're trying to practise techniques to distract her from it. Encourage her and just try to keep her pushing forward." The Royal Bahamas Police said an investigation into the freak accident was ongoing, adding in a statement: "The victim is alleged to have entered the water from a vessel she was a passenger on while it was attempting to dock. She sustained serious injuries to her lower body, caused by the vessel's propeller."
Daily Mirror
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Woman whose legs ripped off in horror boat accident had second family heartbreak
A tourist who was on her dream holiday had her legs ripped off by a boat propeller when she fell into the water - but it's not the first tragedy her family have faced The family of a young woman whose legs were ripped off in a freak boat accident are facing their second life-altering tragedy, nine years after their son was left paraplegic. Hannah Smith, 22, made headlines around the world last week when the holiday she was on with her best friend took a horrific turn. Hannah, who was celebrating graduating with top honours for her arts degree at Miles College, Alabama, fell into the water while her pontoon boat was docking, and was dragged under the propellors. After being hauled out of a "pool of blood" by two fellow passengers, Hannah was rushed to a local hospital in the Bahamas then later airlifted to the US, where she's undergone eight surgeries at a hospital in Miami. Her worried family, parents Tracy and Marvin, sisters Abigail and Rachel, and brother Joseph are now praying for her to pull through after losing her legs. And with mounting medical bills that the family will have to pay, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help the Smiths meet the costs - likely to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Did you see the accident in the Bahamas? Let us know at webnews@ But it's not the first time the family have had to face tragedy. Nine years ago, their son Joseph was left quadriplegic when he came off his motorcycle in a horror crash. "Tracy and I have a good idea of where things are headed. His medical bills were enormous," dad Marvin recalled. Joseph, now 30, was just 21 when the accident happened, and was devastated to hear his baby sister had gone through a similar near-death experience. "It was hard for him to hear. When he heard about it, it really bothered him," says mum Tracy. "Because every big brother wants to protect his sister." But a silver lining to the pain they're facing is that Joseph has a new role to play as Hannah slowly recovers from her injuries. "None of us can physically [relate to what Hannah has gone through], but he's able to encourage her and just remind us of some of the things that he has been through," Tracy added. "And so he is going to have a much better insight into some of things that she is going to experience than we will." While Hannah has a "long journey" of recovery ahead of her, her parents can't believe she survived the horror accident. "I feel like we really witnessed a miracle because we could have very well been planning a funeral," says Marvin starkly. "Thank God that we're still able to talk to our daughter. "That's what we talk to her about every day when she has the negative moments. We all band around her. We had a moment yesterday, we banded around her and we told her, 'this is a miracle, and you are a miracle.' "People look at miracles like it's something mystical or majestical, but... I felt like God was giving us the answer to our prayers, through Hannah talking to us."
Metro
24-05-2025
- Health
- Metro
Graduate, 22, who lost part of both legs in freak accident 'still doesn't know'
An arts graduate and keen athlete is fighting for life after being sucked into a ferry propeller during a cruise in the Bahamas. Hannah Smith, 22, was on a trip with her best friend on the first day of their holiday when the tragedy happened. She fell from the side of a pontoon boat as it came in to dock in Nassau last week. Hannah, from Memphis, Tennessee, was dragged under the ferry's propellors, leaving her with catastrophic injuries including partially severed legs. Her dad Marvin revealed she is still in intensive care and is awake between surgeries. But she is still unaware of the true extent of her injuries. 'She's been so heavily medicated, she's mentioned things but it's like she's having hallucinations,' Marvin told the Mirror. Hannah's mum Tracy added: 'With the sedations, medications, the trauma, everything, there were also hallucinations, which they tell us is part of coming off sedation. 'So, we have not asked her anything related to [the accident]. We need her focusing on her healing and not trying to remember or trying to relive it.' Hannah's parents have launched a GoFundMe appeal to try and help meet the extensive medical costs. Paying tribute to his daughter, Marvin described her as a 'scholar, leader and community advocate'. He wrote: 'Hannah graduated at the top of her class with Summa Cum Laude, from Miles College, earning respect and admiration from her peers, professors and sorority sisters. 'Known for her dedication to service, academic excellence and uplifting others, Hannah now finds herself in need of the community's support. 'Hannah was tragically injured in an accident that has left her facing multiple surgeries, long term rehabilitation and mounting medical bills.' Hannah's older sister Rachel added: 'Hannah is light. Hannah is love. Hannah is absolutely HER. 'Our little sister is nothing short of a headache but we wouldn't want her any other way. She is literally the strongest of us all (She's a gym rat). 'We're praying you continue to be the strongest and fight for your life, your dreams and aspirations. 'This boating accident will not define your life. We need you to have many more birthdays, more holidays, more life experiences.' Tracy said her daughter had just graduated and was 'just starting her life and she's got all these plans'. She added: 'One of the things that she said, with all the things that have happened to her, and it just touched us, it was so prophetic, she said: 'Mommy, we're all spirits walking around here and God just loans us a body'. 'Now we've got to stay strong for her, so we just try to follow her lead and help her in any way we can, whether that's emotionally, spiritually, physically helping her, whatever it is.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Couple lost arms holding on to each other as tornado hit their home MORE: McDonald's closing all of its spin off CosMc's locations by next month MORE: Donald Trump demands iPhones be made in the US – but is it even possible?
Daily Mirror
20-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Tourist's three panicked words as woman has legs severed by boat propeller
Hannah Smith, 22, was left with serious injures and rushed to a nearby hospital after her legs were sliced by a boat propeller during her graduation celebration getaway Tourists yelled three panicked words as a woman's legs were severed by a boat propeller after she fell into the water. Gifted university graduate Hannah Smith, 22, had been celebrating her recent graduation from Alabama's Miles College when she was sucked into a boat propeller that cut both of her legs off. Her family has claimed Hannah fell from the side of a pontoon boat as it was docking when she was dragged below the water by the propeller. Hannah, from Memphis , Tennessee, booked a luxury Caribbean cruise via the Carnival Sunrise ship and had been on their way back from an excursion to Pearl Island - a tropical island getaway - in the Bahamas when she reportedly fell into the water at Nassau Cruise Port at 3:55pm on the day of the incident. Panicked passengers cried "she's jumped off" when Hannah ended up in the water. The ferry captain then turned the engine off and saw Hannah in the water surrounded by a pool of blood. A shocked witness told police two female passengers grabbed Hannah by the arm and pulled her back onto the boat. She was then taken to a hospital with "serious" injuries to her legs and lower body and that they had been partially severed. Hannah was then flown to back to the US on Wednesday where she has undergone further surgeries. There had been claims that alcohol was somehow involved in the incident, but Hannah's mum Tracy Smith furiously hit back at the claims, adding: "Hannah was not intoxicated. She fell from the boat. It's hurtful to say she jumped because she did not." Tracy also quizzed why police did not interview Hannah's friend Brooklyn Pitre, who had witnessed the incident. She added: "These kids work their a**** off to graduate. It was a celebratory trip. "Do they have fun? Yes. Were they drunk? No. Did she jump? No. Are we completely aware of what happened? No." She continued: "But could there have been a safety mechanism that was off, was the boat rocking, we are not 100 per cent sure of that. There are so many things that could have been happening. I want to know the truth. This was a young woman, happy, celebrating her life and now she's fighting for it." Hannah's dad, Marvin, said he had spoken to a doctor who treated Hannah at Doctor's Hospital in Nassau. He added everything "suggested she was coherent" and "not inebriated" when she arrived. In a GoFundMe appeal set up by the family, Hannah's sister Rachel revealed a tragic update. She added: "Hannah suffered a few setbacks. She had to undergo additional transfusions of blood, platelets, and dialysis. "Before she was taken into her scheduled surgery, she momentarily came out of her sedation. She was able to acknowledge our presence and encouraging words with head nods and squeezing our hands. She has underwent her fifth surgery. Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers." Following the incident, well wishes and prayers were shared on social media. "Sending our deepest prayers and support to recent graduate Hannah Smith, Summa Cum Laude Class of 2025, who is currently in critical condition in Nassau, Bahamas," Miles College said in a May 13 Facebook post. "
