Talk about a close call.
A 24-year-old from Louisiana is counting his blessings this week after he nearly died while competing in the Conley Invitational bull riding event in Palmetto, Florida. Zachary Naegele was just doing something he had done a hundred times before when the freak accident took place – almost resulting in him losing his life.
On February 7, shortly after the gate opened and the bull with Zachary atop it started bucking, the bull rider began to slip off the animal, and one of its horns perfectly slipped underneath the helmet he was wearing. The bull’s horn sliced right into the 24-year-old’s neck, and it was immediately clear that Naegele’s life was in danger.
Fortunately, medical staff was stationed close by and immediately started to help the severely injured bull rider. It became clear that Zachary needed to be transported to a hospital for his life-threatening wound, and time was of the essence. The goring severed his carotid artery, which caused him to lose more than two gallons of blood.
Naegele told ABC 27 that he was fighting for his life on his way to the hospital:
“I could feel myself going in and out from the amount of blood loss in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. I had to fight to keep breathing.”
Soon after the bull rider arrived at the hospital, he had surgery to repair his carotid artery. Doctors also discovered that Naegele had suffered nerve damage, and his jugular had been pierced as well. Following his surgery, the 24-year-old spent three days in the intensive care unit recovering.
Once he was stabilized, he was discharged and set on a long road to recovery. More than anything though, Zachary is just thankful to be alive, and knows that the immediate medical services he received at the bull riding event likely saved his life:
“I want to thank everyone who was in the arena that night lifting me up in prayer, especially the EMTs and medical staff who got me the immediate attention I needed.”
According to doctors that worked on Naegele, the 24-year-old will need at least six to eight weeks to recover, though the full recovery process could go on even longer. Despite the terrifying circumstance, the young bull rider remains in good spirits. He’s even jumping at the bit to climb back on a bull once he’s ready and able:
“I most definitely plan to get back into bull riding. My goal is to make it onto one of the PBR teams, specifically the Oklahoma Wildcatters.”
Godspeed Zachary Naegele… godspeed.
This kid clearly loves bull riding. You have to if you are willing to get right back on a bull after one nearly extinguished your life. But as Zachary put it himself, he feels as though his life was spared for a reason:
“I know that God has bigger plans for me in life; now it’s time to get healed up.”
Maybe that reason was to become the world’s greatest bull rider, and have the world’s best comeback story to pair with it?
