A woman involved in a horrible boating accident on Matlacha is sharing her story and thanking all the people who helped her on her long road to recovery.
In April, Nichole Hall got caught in a boat propeller and flat-lined twice before making it to the hospital.
"I remember at one point asking one of my EMTs who saved me if I was going to die. Later, I found out most people thought that was the case," said Nichole.
"People that have the injuries Nichole had don't make it to the hospital," said Nichole's trauma surgeon Dr. Joseph Lewis.
Nichole ended up losing her entire leg and part of her hip, a procedure known as a hemipelvectomy. She was in the hospital for around 2 months, where she kept an astonishingly positive attitude.
"She's really, truly, a special human," said Lewis. "If I went through this experience myself, I would not be a radiant being."
Nichole says she's still learning how to walk again, but she's determined. She walked down the aisle at her best friend's wedding as her maid of honor. She's been back on a boat and is planning to get back in the water. She even won her first Halloween costume contest as The Terminator. Her next goal is something no one with her injuries has done before.
" I think I might be the first hemipelvectomy to snowboard if I do it. I talked to another Paralympic, Paralympian snowboarder, and she said she hasn't heard of anybody, so, you know, that'll be really incredible. So that's one of my goals,” said Nichole.
Nichole is so thankful for all the support she's received from her community, that she wants to give back. In January, she will become a volunteer and mentor at Lee Health.