It’s been nearly a month since22-year-old Stefanie Schaffer suffered life-threatening injuriesin a tour boat explosion during a Bahamas vacation. Now, her mother, Stacey Schaffer Bender, says the young dancer is still in recovery — and doesn’t yet know that she’s lost both her legs.
“She’s not going to be happy,” Schaffer Bender toldABC Newsin an exclusive interview, noting that doctors called Stefanie’s survival a “miracle.” “It wasn’t supposed to happen like this … I would have never wanted this for Stephanie, obviously, of course, but the best we can do is just see where her life goes, and I think wonderful things are still in store for her.”
Stefanie was enjoying the Caribbean vacation with her sister Brooke, 13, and parents, Schaffer Bender and Paul Bender, on June 30 when the small tour boat they were riding on suddenly exploded around 9 a.m. off the coast of Barraterre Island,ABC Newsreported. Schaffer Bender said she felt herself being thrown from the boat suddenly after the vessel began traveling at a fast speed.
Schaffer Family/Go Fund Me
“I’m realizing I’m going through the air, head over heels. I think they just threw me off the boat,” she told ABC, noting that she soon located Brooke and Paul, but could not find Stefanie. “I’m screaming, ‘Where’s Stefanie? Where’s Stefanie?’ Over and over. I’m hysterical.”
Schaffer Bender said they soon found Stefanie stuck on the boat with metal wrapped around her. A good Samaritan drove the injured family away from the scene in a truck, Schaffer Bender told ABC. She suffered a broken heel, wrist, ribs, a fractured leg as well as other internal injuries, she told the site.
Schaffer Bender was admitted to the same hospital as Stefanie, who suffered a fractured left leg, left arm, spine, broken pelvic bones, broken ribs and internal bleeding to her lungs and kidney, she said. Stefanie has only recently woken up after at least 10 surgeries, but will remain hospitalized for several more months before undergoing up to a year of rehab.
Schaffer Bender was discharged from the hospital a week ago, and family members recently shared asmiling photo of Stefaniefrom her hospital bed.
“She looks beautiful!” Mary Jane Dieter, Schaffer Bender’s sister in law, wrote in a Facebook post alongside the photo. “What a spirit-lifter for Stef and all who love her!”
Both of Stephanie’s legs were amputated, and Schaffer Bender’s legs are in casts, a relative confirmed to PEOPLE.
“I will just wipe her tears and hold her hand and we’re here. We’re gonna take care of you,” Schaffer Bender told ABC. “I keep telling her, ‘It’s gonna be okay.’ ”
Maleka Jackson, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, died in the explosion. She had been celebrating her 15th wedding anniversary with her husband, Tiran Jackson, and leaves behind a 12-year-old son. Relatives have set up aGoFundMe pagefor the family.
source: people.com
