I remember waking up and someone asking me if I knew where I was and what day it was. I remember saying it was August 18th. They said “no, It’s September 7th.” I had been in a coma for three weeks. I asked them to call my son, I told him I was sorry I missed his birthday. 

My accident happened on August 17, 2003. My Family and I had gone to my husband’s parent’s house for a party. My father in law took us out on his boat to go water skiing. He dropped my niece Sarah and I off the boat to swim. As we were swimming, the boat went down river to ski. My father in law was working his way back to us to pick us up and take us in for dinner. My father in law had gotten Gary (my son) up on the skis. He was watching Gary ski. The boat was getting very close to us and I was getting a little worried. My father in law has lived on the river his whole life and always showed safety when operating the boat so I was sure he knew where we were in the water. The boat was set on a course to go in front of us until my son Gary went down off the skis. At that time, my father in law turned the boat to go back for Gary. Although there was a spotter on the boat he was looking at the skier instead of where he was going. The boat was on a course straight for my niece Sarah! I kept watching him, waiting for him to turn around and see us. When I realized he was going to hit Sarah I started swimming hard for her. I threw myself on top of her shoving her down under the water. I was hoping the boat would pass over us. I felt myself rising in the water. Sarah’s vest was floating me up. The boat hit me hard, I felt myself being sucked up into the propeller. I could feel swirling and chopping. I felt my suit being ripped off. I was caught in the ski rope and being dragged by the boat. The boat seemed to kick me out. I spiraled down in the water. I thought my back was broken but I could move my right leg. I decided to get to the top of the water. I followed the bubbles and the light to the surface. I popped up out of the water stunned but alive. 
 
I was floating in a circle of my body parts, the water was purple with blood and the surface was covered in skin and fat. Like washing chicken in a sink. My arm was gone and the bone was protruding, my left breast was partially detached and floating on top of the water. I couldn’t feel my left leg and thought it was gone.I had pain in my left side but couldn’t see through the water. I looked for my niece. She was about ten yards away. She was untouched. I told her I was hurt really badly and to stay away. I didn’t want her to see me. I told her I needed her help. I told her to swim towards the boat and to scream, “call 911.” I told her to keep screaming until someone heard her. They heard her and turned the boat back to me. My father in law drove the boat up and asked if I was okay. I told him “no, call 911.” His phone wouldn’t pick up a signal. I asked my niece Crystal who was on the boat if she could help me save my life. She said she “anything Aunt Robyn”. I then told Crystal to put on a vest and jump overboard. I asked Stuart if he had any cushions, he replied that he did and threw them over to me. I told him to take Sarah and go back to the dock for help. I told Sarah to keep screaming so that they would hear her back at the house. They sped off for help leaving Crystal and I in the water. 
 
A piece of the chopped up ski rope floated in front of me and I grabbed it. I knew I would need a tourniquet on my arm or I would bleed to death. I grabbed it and wrapped it tight around my arm stump. I told Crystal that I had lost my left arm and leg, I asked her to hold the tourniquet around my stump and to keep my head above water in case I passed out. My husband and son were in the water where my son dropped off the ski’s. My husband started swimming frantically for me. When he got to me Crystal was starting to go under. He was screaming for help, there was a boat nearby. They came up and asked what they could do, I told them to put Crystal on their boat and go back for my son Gary. I told them to keep the boat back so my son couldn’t see my injuries. My husband Mike and I remained in the water and waited for help. Mike resumed the duties of holding my tourniquet and keeping my head out of the water. He was begging me not to die. Begging me not to leave him and Gary. I could hear my son’s screams but I couldn’t answer him. I was in so much pain. My left leg was severed along with my arm. My ribs had been smashed and my left lung was punctured. I was getting cold from the loss of blood and I was barely holding on trying not to pass out or go into shock. I had to struggle to tread water for 20 minutes with one arm and one leg. 
 
The boat and two jet skis came back first. They helped guide the boat back to me. Everyone tried frantically to get me on the boat. They couldn’t do it. The guys in the boat were trying to pull, the guys in the water trying to push. Every time they tried to push me up they would go under the water. Their feet couldn’t touch the bottom. I mustered up my strength. I knew if I didn’t get myself on the boat I would die. I knew my time was running out. As much as I didn’t want to come out of the water naked in front of every man in the family I knew I had no choice. I told everyone to get back and grabbed the step with my good arm. My phantom arm grabbed the boat. I pushed my self up as hard as I could. From there the guys were able to pull me on to the boat. They slid me on to the Platform. The neighborhood doctor was on the boat. He saw my wounds and called for a helicopter. He held pressure on my side wound where the propeller had severed the artery going to my left kidney. We sped to the dock.

As we arrived the ambulance was backing down the boat ramp. The men struggled to get me on the backboard. I was wet, slippery & heavy. They had to get me off the boat and carry me up the steep hill to the ambulance. I was starting to get very cold. I knew I had lost a lot of blood. I prayed they would get me to the hospital quickly. I was determined not to die. I kept telling myself “ You are not going to die at your husband and son’s birthday party.” The ambulance raced down the road to a field where the helicopter could land. I was in a lot of pain but alert. They kept asking me if I was awake. I was, but it hurt to talk. I kept my eyes slammed shut because I couldn’t stand the looks of shock and fear on their faces. I begged for pain medicine. They said they didn’t have any. I thought I would either die from the pain or the lack of blood. I was freezing cold and it was August. They transferred me to the helicopter. The helicopter sped me off to Fairfax Hospital. I was begging them to knock me out. 
 
I remember waking up and someone asking me if I knew where I was and what day it was. I remember saying it was August 18th. They said “no, It’s September 7th.” I had been in a coma for three weeks. I asked them to call my son. I told him I was sorry I missed his birthday. I looked over and my arm was gone. I cried. 
 
The doctors told me of my wounds. They worked on me for 7 hours. They told me it was a miracle that I survived. The propeller of the boat had cut into my left side every 3 ½ inches from the knee up.. The femur of my left leg was severed. It took three 2 ½ inch screws to put my knee back together. The propeller severed the muscles in my left leg in three places. The propeller cut into my stomach twice. In my waist and left side it struck twice causing me to lose my left kidney and crushing my ribs. The shattered ribs pushed through my left lung collapsing it. The propeller then worked it’s way up to my left breast partially severing it. When it got to my arm it struck twice once near my shoulder and again closer to my elbow. Although the arm was still attached by my tricep it could not be re-attached because the bone and tissue in between the 2 strikes was missing. I had to be intubated twice and had to undergo a tracheotomy. 
 
The accident left me with damaged vocal chords, partial blindness, one kidney, a bad leg, chronic pain, muscular skeletal problems, one arm and massive amounts of scarring. I am now permanently disfigured. I used to sew, knit & crochet. I loved crafts. I used to play drums, clarinet and saxophone. I used to work on cars and ride a motorcycle. I was a bartender for 25 years. Now I can’t even wash my own hand. 
 
I have spent the past two years going to doctors and rehabilitating myself. I am working part-time and trying to live a normal life. My son and husband are helping me to get back to living life the best that we can. Our relationship with my husband’s family has been severed. I am hoping one day to get that back. The niece that I saved is going into high school next year. The niece that helped save me will be a senior. 
 
On December 18, 2005 I was the proud recipient of the Carnegie Medal for Heroism.

Your story of a propeller strike can help inform.

As a victim of a propeller strike, we know retelling your story is reliving it. This is hard. You want to put it behind you, focus on the healing, on the future and to make the best of what you have left. We respect that. However, you can help SPIN by telling your story. You may just reach out with the story that prevents the next accident and saves a future propeller victim. Your story will reach the U.S.Coast Guard and be available to policy makers and legislators.

You may contact us in many ways:

S.P.I.N. - Stop Propeller Injuries Now
2365 Conejo Court
Los Osos, CA, 93402
tel. 805-528-0554 - fax. 805-526-8756
email: spinsafety@gmail.com