A California woman was left paralyzed after plunging off a bridge during an ATV excursion in Mexico. Makeup artist Nina Bakhshi was celebrating her 28th birthday in Cancún when the getaway turned into a 'life changing accident.'
She sustained severe fractures to her neck and spine after a guided ATV tour of Cenote La Noria ended in the horror crash. Her agony was also compounded after medics in Mexico allegedly refused to provide her with vital surgery for 28 hours as they argued over her $24,000 medical bill.
The Accident
Bakhshi was on the tour with her boyfriend when the crash occurred. They crossed a bridge when one of the tires got lodged in the gap between the wooden slats, causing the ATV to flip. She plunged from the bridge through the wire railing and landed below, capturing the horrifying ordeal on camera as she was attempting to record the bridge's beautiful scenery.
'Have you ever had a dream that you're falling and you're asleep and you like wake up and you fall? That was exactly what happened,' she told the Daily Mail. 'I was falling and it was the longest and the shortest fall of my life. I was feeling every second of that fall and then I hit the ground with my lower back.'
Aftermath and Rescue
Bakhshi was left winded by the impact and struggled to catch her breath. 'It was like five to 10 seconds of me being awake but not able to breathe, [it] was very scary,' she said. 'I could hear my boyfriend just calling my name and asking me to say something, but I couldn't respond.'
Out of nowhere, air rushed into her lungs and she screamed. The park lacked proper equipment to carry her out and there was no ambulance access. A group of workers strapped her to an old board and carried her out by hand. She was eventually taken by truck to the nearest hospital, an hour away.
Medical Ordeal
Upon arrival, doctors refused to help until she paid 420,000 Mexican pesos ($24,000 USD). Bakhshi did not have travel insurance, and the park's local insurance did not cover emergency surgery. Her friends and family maxed out credit cards and lent money to cover costs. Over 28 hours later, she underwent major spine surgery.
Doctors said Bakhshi was lucky to have fallen onto leaves, which softened her fall. 'Thankfully the doctors were able to save my lower back, and I can move my legs now,' she wrote on her GoFundMe. 'With proper treatment, physical therapy, and aftercare, I hope to walk normally again.'
Recovery and Support
Bakhshi will return to California in about two weeks. She is practicing sitting up and is expected to wear a neck brace for five months, along with extensive physical therapy. A GoFundMe page has raised over $47,000 to help with medical expenses.
'I am incredibly grateful to be alive and forever thankful to every person who helped me survive during those terrifying moments,' she wrote. 'Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading, supporting, and helping me through the hardest chapter of my life.'
