An Austin man experienced a harrowing ordeal after a wave struck him while bodysurfing in Tulum, Mexico, leaving him paralyzed. Jared Hill and his partner, Justin Raiford, were on vacation to celebrate Raiford's birthday when the accident happened. The wave's force drove Hill's head into the ocean floor, shattering three of his neck vertebrae, according to a statement obtained by KVUE.
"It drove his head down into the sand of the ocean it shattered three of vertebrae in his neck and broke his C1 and instantly paralyzed him," Justin Raiford recounted in an interview with KVUE. Hill's partner described a nightmarish scene, with insufficient help from beachgoers and a distressing lack of prompt medical assistance. When attempting to transport Hill back to the United States, they encountered bureaucratic obstacles related to Hill's critical condition and alleged demands for upfront payment. Raiford claimed, "They wouldn't take him out of the Red Cross van until I gave them $5,000."
The couple's attempt to arrange for medical treatment in the US was deterred by Hill's unstable state, resulting in a surgery in Mexico that cost them $20,000, despite holding international health insurance. Moreover, their insurance which purportedly covered 100 percent of critical accidents was reportedly not accepted by the hospital. "You think in certain situations there is empathy for life, and it was 100% opposite," Raiford told KVUE.
Afterward, Hill underwent an extensive 12-hour surgery at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, Raiford said in a statement to KHOU-11. Due to prolonged immobility during his time in Mexico, Hill developed severe complications, including a blood clot and pulmonary embolism, posing additional risks to his recovery. "His whole right lung had a blood clot, and he could die from pulmonary embolism," Raiford added, depicting a dire situation.
Despite the challenges, Hill's condition is showing signs of improvement, with hopes for further surgery once his meningitis is under control. The couple has since started a GoFundMe to alleviate the financial burden of the medical expenses incurred. Raiford is now advocating for travelers to prepare detailed plans for emergency health care while abroad, stressing the importance of research in an interview with the Daily Mail, "because 'nobody expects for things like this to happen'."
