In a tragic turn of events, a routine day on the water for an Alabama woman has ended in a life-changing accident. On May 15, Nikki Goodman and her husband set sail for Gravine Island near Mobile, Alabama, eager to enjoy a relaxing day in the sun. What began as a pleasant outing quickly descended into chaos and horror.
The couple had just departed from the Chickasaw boat launch, filled with anticipation for a delightful day on the water. Nikki recalls the initial calm, “He was fishing, you know, having a relaxing day, and I was lazing in the sun.” This serenity was shattered when their boat malfunctioned.
“The boat just started spinning and it immediately threw us off [the boat] when the hydraulic cable that goes to the steering broke,” Goodman explained. This catastrophic failure sent the boat into a spin, throwing both Nikki and her husband overboard. In the ensuing turmoil, Nikki’s legs were caught by the boat’s propeller.
Her husband managed to get back to the boat, but Nikki was missing until her desperate cries for help guided him. “Help me, my legs are going numb, I can’t feel my legs,” she shouted, only to discover her left leg had been severed above the knee, and her right leg was severely injured.
Despite the excruciating pain and shock, Nikki never lost consciousness. Her husband, equally traumatized, acted swiftly. “He started tying whatever we had on the boat, like bungee cords, to my legs to stop the bleeding,” she recalled. In a stroke of luck, another boat passed by at that critical moment.
A couple aboard the passing boat responded to their distress. “It was a man and a lady, and I would really like to track them down and express my gratitude for saving my life,” Nikki said. The quick-thinking strangers were already on the phone with 911. The man joined Nikki’s husband on their boat and helped stabilize her condition until emergency services arrived.
Now, as Memorial Day approaches, Nikki has an urgent message for fellow boaters. “People just need to take that extra time and that extra dollar to make sure their equipment is up to par because they don’t want to experience what I’ve experienced,” she emphasized. She also highlighted the importance of safety gear, admitting that neither she nor her husband were wearing life jackets at the time of the accident. “Even if you’re simply cruising, put on your life jackets,” she urged.
Nikki Goodman’s road to recovery will be long and challenging. She is preparing for physical therapy and the process of being fitted for a prosthetic limb. Her story stands as a powerful reminder of the unexpected dangers that can arise on the water and the critical importance of safety precautions.