Nina Bakhshi, an Indian-origin makeup artist from California, endured a terrifying birthday trip this year when she opted for a guided ATV tour of Cenote La Noria in Mexico. During the tour, she fell from a bridge and sustained multiple fractures. In a fundraiser established earlier this month, she recounted the harrowing experience and how the park authorities neglected their responsibilities following the tragedy.
Details of the Accident
Bakhshi revealed that there was no arrangement to pick her up from the location where she fell. She had to be carried for nearly 30 minutes to a waiting area, where an ambulance that never arrived was supposed to come. Eventually, she was transported by a truck and reached a hospital after an hour. Bakhshi did not have any travel insurance, and the local insurance policy of the park did not cover the emergency surgery she required.
Emergency Surgery and Recovery
My friends and family came together immediately to save my life, maxing out credit cards, lending money, and helping cover the cost of my surgery and hospitalization, which took much longer since it was a weekend, Bakhshi said. I underwent emergency spine surgery 28 hours after the accident. It was the most painful and terrifying experience of my life, but thankfully the doctors were able to save my lower back, and I can move my legs now. She added that she was still stuck in Mexico when she launched the fundraiser on May 13.
With proper treatment, physical therapy, and aftercare, I hope to walk normally again. I am incredibly grateful to be alive and forever thankful to every person who helped me survive during those terrifying moments. Unfortunately, my recovery is far from over. I still have untreated fractures in my neck, ongoing medical expenses, physical therapy, follow-up appointments, medications, and a long healing journey ahead. At this time, I am unable to walk normally or return to work, she wrote in her appeal for donations. Wish me happy birthday, she added.
Interview with DailyMail
In an interview with DailyMail, Bakhshi recounted the moment of the fall. She said she was about to record the beautiful scenery of the bridge when she fell. 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. A vertebrae in her neck was still broken on both sides when she spoke to Daily Mail.
The incident highlights the importance of travel insurance and safety measures during adventure activities. Bakhshi's story serves as a cautionary tale for travelers to ensure they are adequately covered and that tour operators adhere to safety protocols.
